The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) is an organisation that compiles all data pertaining to human rights violations by Pakistani security forces in the province. It also has data pertaining to torture, etc, carried out by Baloch nationalist groups against the people identified/branded as government agents. The reports compiled by it are mainly categorised under three sub-headings 1. News Reports 2. Featured Reports and 3. Periodical Reports.
These compilations are done diligently, and under the third category of Periodical Reports, month-wise details of atrocities committed by the Pakistan Army, Levies, and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) are also available. The month-wise reports are usually released around two weeks after the preceding month. The report for the month of February this year has just been released and is now in the public domain.
According to HRCB, a total of 144 cases of enforced disappearances were reported across Balochistan during the month. Of the victims, 41 were released later, but 102 remain missing, and one was killed. Additionally, 46 killings were recorded, including extrajudicial executions. Of these, 40 victims were identified, while six victims remain unidentified.
The latest HRCB report indicates a significant rise in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings across the province in February 2025. The report highlights an alarming pattern of human rights violations, particularly targeting students and political activists. Incidentally, it bears mention here that most Baloch rebels, including those who have carried out suicide attacks, have been mostly well educated.
The HRCB report for January 2025 said that there were 117 cases of enforced disappearances and 33 killings during the month. The cases of enforced disappearances have thus risen from 117 to 144 in the following month and that of killings from 33 to 46 in February. Besides enforced disappearances, the periodical reports also categorise data under the headings of targeted killings, fake encounters and such others.
Targeted killings, Fake Encounters
In the month under review, 30 individuals were killed in targeted killings. Among them, 18 were killed by unknown assailants for unknown reasons. Additionally, 12 were killed by Baloch insurgent groups: nine (09) by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), two (02) by the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and ONE (01) by the United Baloch Army (UBA). These groups accused them of being state agents and facilitators. However, 2 BLF-linked individuals were killed by the Frontier Corps (FC) in an encounter.
The Counter Terrorism Department is usually the organisation involved in gunning down people in fake staged encounters.
On February 21, four previously individuals who had been picked up by the security forces were killed in a staged encounter in the Shaban area of Quetta. Hafiz Muhammad Tahir, son of Hafiz Muhammad Akbar Haruni, and Zubair Ahmed Haruni, son of Abdul Samad Haruni, both residents of Surab Gadar, were among the victims. They had been forcibly disappeared by security forces in December 2024.
Shahzeb, son of Rahmatullah, was abducted from Killi Khairullah on January 7, 2025, while Naeem Ahmed, son of Nooruddin, was taken from Kharotabad on January 2, 2025. They were also among those killed in the fake encounter.
Custodial Killings
On February 5, Shukrullah and Nadeem Baloch, residents of Panjgur’s Rakshan area, were detained by Frontier Corps (FC) personnel at the Washbood checkpoint. Two days later, Shukrullah’s mutilated body was found, while Nadeem was discovered critically injured in the Soorap area of Panjgur. Their families were reportedly threatened by intelligence agencies and pressured to remain silent about the incident.
On February 11, the body of Hayat, son of Sabzal, was found in the Shahu Kahan area of Panjgur. He had been taken into custody by Pakistani forces from Turbat on July 3, 2024, and remained missing until his body was discovered. On February 25, the mutilated body of 46-year-old Noorjan (Hameedullah), son of Khan Muhammad, was found in Khuzdar. His family stated that he had been abducted by security forces on December 15, 2024.
On February 28, Eid Muhammad, son of Hayat Khan from Nirmak, succumbed to injuries after enduring severe torture in custody. He was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces on December 10, 2023, in Mangochar, Kalat, and remained missing until his rescue on February 8, 2025. Despite receiving medical treatment, he could not survive the torture he had endured.
Enforced Disappearances
Among a total of 144 victims, 136 individuals were abducted for the first time, five were taken away by the security forces twice, and three experienced their third abduction. The Frontier Corps (FC) was responsible for 125 cases, intelligence agencies for 13, death squads for four, and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) for two.
Of the 144 abducted individuals, the professions practised by 98 are not known, while students formed the largest identified group, with 22 recorded cases. The remaining victims included shopkeepers, labourers and others.
Raids on the houses of the victims by the security forces were the most common method, accounting for 102 of the 144 abductions. In 26 cases, individuals were detained before being forcibly disappeared. Additionally, 12 individuals were abducted from checkpoints, and four through camp summons.
On some days during the month of February, the number of those abducted and subjected to enforced disappearances was higher compared to others. On February 1, Shahnawaz and Abdul Khaliq, sons of Hajiullah Bakhsh and residents of Paroom (Panjgur), were forcibly disappeared by the FC in Hoshab while travelling to Turbat. They were released on March 1, 2025. Ali Mohammad, son of Hakeem, was abducted from his home in Mashkay by Death Squad members. He had previously been detained in 2016 and 2018.
On February 5, the number of those Baloch who were forcibly abducted and disappeared stood at 14. Hassan, a student from Kech, was forcibly disappeared by intelligence agencies in Karachi. He was abducted after stepping out of his hotel while accompanying his family for medical treatment. Similarly, Hafiz Ali, a resident of Kharan, was forcibly disappeared by FC from a hotel in Quetta while accompanying his mother for medical treatment. Mehmood, son of Mehfooz, was forcibly disappeared from his home in Essai, Panjgur. FC forcibly disappeared five individuals during a house raid in Bahman, Turbat. The victims included Noman, son of Rafiq, a student; Roshan and Rahil Ali, sons of Ali Muhammad, both shopkeepers; Naeem Bashir, son of Bashir Ahmed, a second-year student at Atta Shad Degree College Turbat; and Adam Ghulam, son of Ghulam Jan, a labourer.
On the same day (February 5), six individuals namely Ismail, son of Haji Bangul Mandani; Zaman Shah, son of Ahmed Shah; Saltu Mandani, son of Dilah Mandani; Deen Muhammad Mandani, son of Mamand Mandani; Essah Madani, son of Fateh Mandani; and Banzu Mandani, son of Peer Bakhsh—were forcibly disappeared by FC from the Bala Daka area in Barkhan. Wasim Malang was abducted by the FC during a raid on his house in Apsar, Turbat. The forces reportedly tortured women and children, confiscated mobile phones, and abused their elderly father.
February 10 Incidents
At least 14 Baloch faced abductions on the 10th day of the month. Tota, son of Musa Bugti; Ghazi, son of Chedo Bugti; and Jangal, son of Jafar Bugti were forcibly disappeared by FC during raids in the Bugti Colony of Sui, Dera Bugti. Juma, son of Mahmood Bugti, was abducted by intelligence agencies from the Dodwani Bridge area of Sui, while Saifullah, son of Kohi Bugti, was taken away by the FC from a checkpoint in Ashiqani while returning home from Sui city.
At least 10 people, Maqbool Akram, Shoaib Ahmed, Saleem Raza, Naseeb Suwali, Fasail Suwali, SajidSuwali, Ali Baloch, Ahmed Raza, Saleh Riaz, and Zaman, son of Pullan, were forcibly disappeared by FC during house raids in Pasni.
February 17 Abductions
On February 17, too, the number of those abducted was 14. The victims included Asim and his four brothers, Waheed Majeed, Hafeez Majeed, Wasim Majeed, and Nadeem Majeed, from Pasni, Gwadar, were detained by FC and transferred to an unknown location. Bakhtiar Nasir, a resident of Dasht living in Gwadar, and his companions Umair Naseer and Zahoor Naseer were forcibly disappeared by FC at the Gattidor checkpoint in Gwadar. Nasir was later released on February 25, while the whereabouts of Umair and Zahoor remain unknown.
Homar Baloch, son of Badal Baloch; Ali Jan Baloch, son of Lal Jan Baloch; Shah Je, son of Jalal Baloch; and Nasir Baloch, son of Gull Muhammad were forcibly disappeared by FC during a violent raid in Taank Shardoi area of Jalalabad, Mashkay, Awaran, where women and children were also assaulted. This marks Nasir Baloch’s third abduction. Ziahuddin Lehri, son of Attah Muhammad and a 22-year-old university parking staff member, was forcibly abducted by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) from Mill Colony, Saryab Road, Quetta.
The HRCB report gives date-wise details of all cases of enforced disappearances, custodial killings etc. The report also gives details regarding individuals subjected to abductions but who were released later. This report thus becomes an important resource to keep track of the human rights abuses that are happening in Balochistan. The details regarding the abductions, etc, datewise have been given only for select dates.
Comments