Violence against civilians in Balochistan persists, with a human rights organization highlighting the extrajudicial killing of a civilian and the enforced disappearance of another in Panjgur district by Pakistani forces. The Baloch National Movement’s Human Rights Department revealed that 24-year-old driver Abdullah Baloch was fatally shot in a targeted attack in Panjgur on March 20 by a Pakistan-backed death squad. This incident is part of a concerning pattern of violence in Balochistan, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
The rights body expressed deep concerns about the lack of rule of law and protection of human rights in the region following Abdullah Baloch’s killing. It emphasized that such incidents not only impact families but also create a climate of fear and insecurity among the local population. The organization called for urgent international investigations into the matter and urged global human rights bodies to address the ongoing violence in Balochistan involving Pakistan-backed actors.
In another distressing event, a 19-year-old student named Abdullah was forcibly disappeared by death squads in Panjgur on March 21, as disclosed by the rights body. This enforced disappearance is part of a troubling trend in Balochistan where individuals are targeted without due process. Such actions violate fundamental human rights, including the right to liberty and protection from arbitrary detention under international human rights law.
The rights organization stressed that enforced disappearances not only harm the victims but also have lasting psychological effects on their families and communities. It reiterated its commitment to documenting human rights violations in Balochistan and advocating for justice for the victims to uphold principles of human dignity and accountability in the region.
