Quetta, Aug 15 (IANS) Another three Baloch civilians were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, a leading human rights organisation alleged on Saturday.
Citing reports, Paank, the Baloch National Movement’s Human Rights Department, said that 27-year-old student Wajid Baloch was abducted in the early hours of August 10 from Qambrani Road in provincial capital Quetta by Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel.
In a separate incident, another 17-year-old student, Asfand Baloch, was abducted by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Military Intelligence on August 4 from Killi Almas Airport Road in Quetta.
Condemning the incident, Paank said, “The disappearance of a minor is particularly alarming and raises serious concerns regarding his safety and well-being.”
Additionally, 40-year-old Asif Ali was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces from his home in Quetta on August 1 by personnel of the ISI and CTD. Since then, the rights body said, his whereabouts and condition remain unknown.
“The continued practice of enforced disappearances, including the targeting of students and civilians, constitutes a grave violation of fundamental human rights and perpetuates fear and suffering among families across Balochistan,” Paank stated.
The rights body called on the Pakistani authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of Asif Ali, Asfand Baloch and Wajid Baloch, while ensuring their safety and physical integrity, and release them immediately.
It urged the United Nations, international human rights organisations and the international community to take immediate notice of the continuing pattern of enforced disappearances in Balochistan and to press the Pakistani authorities to end this practice, reveal the fate and whereabouts of all disappeared persons, ensure accountability and provide justice to victims and their families.
“Enforced disappearance is a serious violation of international human rights law. It places individuals outside the protection of the law and exposes them to grave risks, including torture and other forms of ill-treatment, while inflicting severe and continuing suffering on their families,” Paank stated.
Balochistan continues to reel under relentless atrocities by the Pakistani forces, marked by enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of Baloch civilians at an unprecedented level.
–IANS
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