Pakistan’s Balochistan experienced a surge in enforced disappearances, increased state repression, and tighter controls on political activists in 2025. The region saw a rise in cases of women being forcibly disappeared, with over 10 women missing and eight still unaccounted for. The Balochistan government, under the guise of asserting its authority, has intensified state repression, particularly targeting Baloch women, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
The year 2025 witnessed a worsening situation in Balochistan, marked by a rise in enforced disappearances, heightened state repression, and further constraints on political activists. Despite the lack of solid legal grounds for the arrest and detention of Baloch political leaders by the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government, the courts in Balochistan have been unable to secure their release, according to The Balochistan Post. Official figures revealed an increase in attacks on civilians, police, and security forces, resulting in the deaths of 443 individuals, including 202 Army officers and personnel, due to suicide attacks, bombings, and targeted violence.
In 2025, Balochistan faced ongoing political turmoil, with a surge in assaults on civilians, police, and security forces, including the Frontier Corps. The Jaffar Express was targeted by multiple bomb blasts, bridge damages, and the hijacking of a Peshawar-bound train on March 11. The Balochistan Post highlighted that the challenges faced by Balochistan showed no signs of improvement in 2026, with continued strikes by Balochistan Grand Alliance employees, families protesting for the recovery of missing women in Kech district, and a persistent political struggle against state repression.
Families in Kech district staged a sit-in protest, blocking a section of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to demand the return of four missing family members, including two women. The protesters accused Pakistani military forces of forcibly disappearing these individuals and expressed serious concerns over the authorities’ failure to locate them. Additionally, protesters disputed claims circulating on social media that the detained individuals were involved in planning a suicide attack.
