Human rights organisations and activists on Saturday, 16 May strongly condemned the alleged extrajudicial killing of Ghamkhwar Hayat, a prominent poet, literary scholar, and educator, in the Killi Mengal area of Nushki district, Balochistan. According to Paank, the human rights department of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), Hayat was reportedly shot dead by individuals linked to Pakistan-backed death squads. The killing has drawn sharp condemnation from multiple rights bodies, who describe it as part of a broader pattern of targeted violence against intellectuals in the province.

Who Was Ghamkhwar Hayat

Ghamkhwar Hayat was a respected figure in Baloch literary and academic circles — a Brahui-language poet, literary scholar, and educator with a long record of contributions to the region's intellectual life. Paank described him as a prominent voice whose work was deeply embedded in Baloch cultural identity. His killing, according to rights groups, follows a pattern of attacks specifically targeting those who give voice to Baloch history and consciousness.

Rights Groups: Part of Systematic Targeting of Intellectuals

Naseem Baloch, chairman of the Baloch National Movement, said the killing was not an isolated incident. “By targeting scholars and voices of awareness, the aim is to destroy the intellectual and cultural foundation of the Baloch nation. But such acts of brutality cannot erase the truth or silence a people struggling for dignity, justice, and freedom,” he said.

The Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) echoed the condemnation, stating: “The murder of a respected Brahui poet, academic, and intellectual reflects the dangerous environment in Balochistan, where critical voices and members of the intellectual community continue to face violence and intimidation.” The group added that “attacks on scholars and writers are attacks on the collective memory, consciousness, and future of a people already enduring decades of repression and human rights violations.”

University Officials Among the Disappeared

The BVJ also raised alarm over the enforced disappearance of University of Gwadar Vice Chancellor Razzaq Sabir, Pro Vice Chancellor Manzoor Ahmed, a lecturer, and their driver — a case that had entered its third day by Saturday. “When senior academic figures vanish without any legal process, it sends a chilling message across society that even education and scholarship are no protection against repression,” the rights body stated, adding that families had received no answers or accountability from authorities.

Minor Abducted in CTD-Frontier Corps Raid

Separately, Paank revealed that a 15-year-old student named Sarbaz was abducted from his home in Nushki on 10 May during a raid conducted by personnel of Pakistan's Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and the Frontier Corps. “The enforced disappearance of a minor is a grave violation of fundamental human rights and raises serious concerns regarding the safety and protection of civilians in Balochistan,” Paank stated. Rights organisations note that international human rights standards explicitly prohibit arbitrary detention and secret imprisonment.

A Province Under Pressure

The incidents collectively paint a picture of escalating pressure on civil society in Balochistan, where enforced disappearances and alleged extrajudicial killings have been documented by multiple international and domestic rights bodies over several years. Critics argue that the systematic targeting of academics, poets, and students is designed to suppress dissent and erode the province's intellectual and cultural fabric. Pakistani authorities have not publicly responded to the specific allegations cited by these rights organisations. With international scrutiny on the situation growing, rights groups are calling for independent investigations and accountability for those responsible.