Human rights organization Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has strongly criticized the significant increase in extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and staged “fake encounters” in Balochistan during February. The BYC’s recent report confirmed 19 extrajudicial killings, with more cases awaiting verification. The committee highlighted that individuals of all ages are being targeted, leading to fear and threats for families seeking justice.
Due to media restrictions and an atmosphere of fear, only a fraction of cases are officially recorded, as per the rights body. BYC denounced these actions as illegal and inhumane, violating fundamental human rights and endangering the Baloch people’s existence. The organization demanded accountability for the lives lost and urged for identification and prosecution of those responsible.
BYC cited the case of Hamdan Baloch, a 24-year-old student killed in a staged encounter in Karachi on February 18. Hamdan was taken by Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department in December 2025, held in custody, and later extrajudicially killed during an ongoing trial. The incident raised concerns about due process and rule of law, according to the BYC. The rights group called on international human rights bodies to condemn these violations and take immediate action in Balochistan.
