Balochistan: At least 16 individuals, including a woman, were allegedly forcibly disappeared by the Pakistani security forces and Counter Terrorism Department(CTD) personnel in Dera Bugti district of Balochistan in recent days, local sources said, according to a report in The Balochistan Post. Local sources said multiple cases of enforced disappearances were reported from Sui town and its surrounding areas, where detentions by Pakistani forces and CTD personnel have intensified.
The exploitation of Balochistan’s resources by the Pakistani companies, without sharing any of benefits with the locals, has long been a reason of discontent among the Baloch people. According to reports, three individuals were taken from Sui town and subsequently went missing. They were identified as Nabi Bakhsh, son of Mahoot Bugti; Nabi Bakhsh, also known as Layoun, son of Bana Bugti; and Usama, also known as Nado, son of Nek Muhammad Bugti.
Sources said all three belong to the Habibani sub-clan of the Bugti tribe, adding that over the past three days at least five young men from the same sub-clan have been subjected to enforced disappearance, bringing the total number of such cases in Sui town to eight. Dera Bugti is an area in Balochistan where Pakistani security forces, led by Pakistan Air Force (PAF), had bombarded positions held by rebel Baloch tribal elders. This is one of the rarest of rare incidents of a nation using its air force against any rebel group worldwide.
In a separate incident in the Pat Feeder area of Sui, personnel of the Frontier Corps(FC) reportedly detained Gul Mir, son of Band Ali Bugti, and transferred him to an undisclosed location. His whereabouts remain unknown. Further reports state that on April 7, CTD personnel allegedly detained Kareem, son of Rahim Bakhsh Bugti, from Muhammad Colony in Sui. On April 9, another individual, Siddiq, son of Nazar Ali Bugti, was also reportedly taken into custody by CTD officials and remains missing.
Meanwhile, reports suggested that a broader crackdown is ongoing in Dera Bugti district. During these operations, a 65-year-old woman, identified as the wife of Shahil Mammadazi Bugti, was detained by Frontier Corps personnel in Pir Koh town, sources said.
In addition, nine individuals were reportedly taken into custody by CTD personnel from Dera Bugti town and subsequently went missing. They have been identified as Arbaz, son of Akram Khan Bugti; Qasim Ali, son of Leemo Khan Bugti; Jabbar Khan, son of Hayat Bugti; Mateen, son of Hayat Bugti; Sajjad, son of Bilal Bugti; Ameen, son of Noor Din Bugti; Rehzan, son of Dad Muhammad Bugti; Din Muhammad, son of Rahim Bakhsh Bugti; and Dost Ali, son of Malook Bugti.
Sources suggest that the recent crackdown may be linked to ongoing or planned oil and gas exploration projects in the area, alongside reports of preparations for a possible military operation. These projects are usually taken up with the help of Chinese workers and various armed Baloch groups have opposed them. Human rights groups have expressed concern over the rising number of alleged enforced disappearances in Balochistan, describing the trend as a serious violation of fundamental rights and calling for an immediate halt to such practices.
