Was a School Teacher in Balochistan Extrajudicially Killed by Pakistani Forces?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Ayaz Baloch was a school teacher extrajudicially killed.
- This incident reflects ongoing human rights violations in Balochistan.
- His body was found mutilated and decomposed.
- The family identified him through his clothing.
- The Baloch Yakjehti Committee calls for international attention.
Quetta, Nov 20 (NationPress) A tragic incident occurred as another Baloch civilian faced extrajudicial killing by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, a prominent human rights organization reported on Thursday.
This latest act of violence is part of a disturbing trend characterized by a rise in extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and torture throughout the region.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) revealed that the severely mutilated and decomposed remains of school teacher Ayaz Baloch were found on Wednesday in the Reko Dam vicinity of Buleda, located in the Kech district of Balochistan.
The extent of the torture and decay rendered Ayaz's face unrecognizable, and his family could only identify him by his clothing and the shoes found near the body.
According to local reports, Ayaz was forcibly taken by Pakistani security forces, accompanied by a state-backed armed group, on November 12 while he was on his way home from school near the Main Bazar area of the Mehnaz region in Kech.
The BYC emphasized that the murder of Ayaz Baloch highlights a troubling pattern of state-linked violence in Balochistan, which includes extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, and the systematic targeting of civilians such as teachers, students, activists, children, and women.
The organization urged the international community to intervene in the ongoing human rights abuses in Balochistan and to advocate for accountability and justice.
In its statement, Paank, the Human Rights Department of the Baloch National Movement, noted that on November 19, two brothers, Doshambay and Mian Dad, from the Pasni area of Gwadar district, were also forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces.
Earlier, the rights group disclosed that two civilians were extrajudicially killed by Pakistani forces in the province.
Condemning these actions, Paank reported that Jalal Khan, a resident of the Mand region in Balochistan, was shot and killed by Pakistani forces while he was enjoying a picnic on Tuesday.
This heart-wrenching event is another instance of the systematic state-sponsored atrocities, including extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, perpetrated against the Baloch population, the rights organization stated.
Furthermore, they expressed grave concern over the enforced disappearance and subsequent extrajudicial execution of a teenager, Farooq Naeem, from the Khairabad region of Balochistan by Pakistani forces.
According to Paank, after nearly seven months of being missing, Farooq's bullet-ridden body was discovered on November 17 in the Banok-e-Chadi area of Kech district.
The condition of the body and the circumstances surrounding its recovery strongly suggest custodial torture and extrajudicial execution, patterns that have been consistently documented in other cases of enforced disappearances in Balochistan.