Pakistan: Extrajudicial killings, abductions perpetrated by security forces create ‘massive’ protests in Balochistan

Large-scale protests have erupted all across Balochistan after an alarming rise in the cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances spanning different demographics in the region, the Human Rights Council of Balochistan stated in a report. Notably, the month of November 2023 showed an alarming rise in the number of cases (human rights violations) throughout Balochistan.

Sixty-five cases of enforced disappearances were recorded spanning different demographics from underage to disabled persons, doctors, newlyweds, students, labourers, and shopkeepers. Thirty-nine extrajudicial killings were also reported. including 10 previous disappearances killed by people in state forces in fake encounters.

Throughout the month, Balochistan witnessed a tragic toll with the loss of 39 lives including five women in various incidents. While 30 of them have been identified, the fate of the remaining nine people is unknown. One of the most disturbing occurrences that triggered a massive outrage and protests was the death of 10 Baloch students, previously reported missing but later killed by the CTD in a series of fabrication encounters.

Forced Abductions

The 1st Incident occurred on November 8, 2023, when the CTD officials claimed the killing of three militants in an alleged exchange of fire in Khuzdar with a significant number of ammunition supposedly seized.  However, investigations revealed surprising details including the identification of one victim Aftab Sumalani, who disappeared by forces from the Hazarganji Quetta on August 11, 2023. Another victim named Abdullah was detained by the Pakistani forces two years ago and the third victim by the name of Hamza also had a background of forced disappearance.

Later on, November 19, 2023, the police brought three more bodies to the Hoshap police station claiming they were victims of a car explosion. Upon identification, it was revealed that these victims Nabi Baksh, Adil Essa, and Shajahan Essa were students who forcibly disappeared on August 22, 2023.

Then on October 23, 2023, the CTD transported four bodies to Teaching Hospital Turbat alleging their deaths in an encounter on Banuk Chadahi Pasni Road. One of the deceased, Balach, was a tailor at the Star Plus Market and a resident of Turbat was detained by CTD officials from his home on October 29, 2023, in front of his family and was subsequently brought to court on November 21 and he was sentenced to a ten-day remand.

During this period, his family visited him and provided him with financial support, and witnessed legal proceedings contradicting claims made by the authorities regarding death due to the encounter. The remaining three, identified as Saif, the son of Umeed and a fellow resident of Turbat was abducted from his grocery shop, Shakur of Norjan, and Wadook, the son of Mubarak from Panjgur was abducted from an army camp, on April 27, after being summoned.

The HRCB reported these incidents have led to violent protests in Balochistan, where people from all walks of life joined the families of the victims against the long-standing systematic violence and the ethnic targeting of the Baloch people by the state through the inhuman practice of forced disappearance and extrajudicial killings, HRCB reported.

Moreover, further casualties during the month included nine individuals reportedly killed by the FC, and two of them were identified as separatists, while seven others died in an alleged encounter in Zhob. In another incident, six people were shot dead in targeted killings by unknown militants, five by Baloch militant organizations and for others by local death squads operatives including a journalist named Sharif Shazad, known for his reporting on a previous incident of violence against a woman by death squad member in Khuzdar.

Involvement of Security Forces

Enforced disappearances carried out by the Paramilitary forces of Pakistan marked a troubling trend with 65 documented cases in the past month mostly from places like Kech, Awaran, and Gwadar. This has affected a large range of populations from minors to the disabled, from newlyweds to students, shopkeepers, and labourers. In Wadh, Adul Qadeer and Salahuddin, mere teenagers aged 13 and 14 were forcibly taken away from the Syed Momin Shah Mosque by Pakistani forces.

The report further cited an incident where three people were abducted from Sindh. Latif, son of Bacha and a resident of Sibi Lehri, was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces and intelligence agencies from the Larkana area. He had migrated to Sindh and was working there. Similarly, Hasnain Baloch was apprehended and then disappeared by the forces from the Lyari area of Karachi while traveling.

In Quetta, a series of raids conducted by the security forces involving Frontier Corps (FC), CTD, and intelligence agencies led to the disappearance of three youths – Attaullah, Hamza, and Bibagr. Hamza and Bibagr were brothers working as labourers.

Moreover, one person, Qaiser son of Ghazi Khan, was taken into custody and forcibly disappeared by the forces from Naseerabad. Although Mohammad and Meeran were abducted in October, we received information about their cases only this month due to internet unavailability.

Abduction of Bridegrooms

The abduction of bridegrooms also stood out as among the most distressing incidents. A man named Liaqat preparing for his wedding ceremony in Khuzdar was whisked away by Pakistani forces two days before his marriage. Similarly, Sibghatullah Sarpara, a shopkeeper was abducted just a day after his marriage from Chaghai.