Quetta, Jan 26 (NationPress) Acknowledging that over 1,200 enforced disappearances and close to 200 extrajudicial killings were recorded in 2025, the human rights organization Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has emphasized that Pakistan's Balochistan province has turned into a "vast prison" and an even larger "death cell," according to local media reports on Monday.

During a press briefing, BYC representatives indicated that the reported numbers of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in 2025 represent merely the "tip of the iceberg," as reported by The Balochistan Post. They asserted that these findings are substantial enough to illustrate the rapidly deteriorating human rights conditions in Balochistan.

According to the findings, there were 1,223 cases of enforced disappearances documented in 2025. Of these, 348 individuals have been released while 832 remain missing, including 75 minors and 18 women.

The highest concentration of cases was in the Kech district, with 339 instances. The BYC claimed that 188 extrajudicial killings were reported in 2025, with 75 individuals killed as part of what they describe as the state's ongoing "kill and dump" policy, particularly affecting the Makran Division and Awaran district.

The report indicated that military operations took place in Balochistan in 2025, leading to the deaths of 200 individuals due to aerial strikes in Khuzdar's Zehri.

The BYC noted that over 122 peaceful protests were organized against enforced disappearances in 2025. The human rights organization accused law enforcement of violently dispersing at least 39 protesters, with over 400 arrests and numerous injuries reported, according to The Balochistan Post.

It alleged that the legal system in Balochistan is being "weaponized" against human rights defenders and civil society. The group reported that five BYC leaders, including central organizer Mahrang Baloch, are currently imprisoned while other activists endure harassment.

Last week, a prominent human rights organization condemned the reported enforced disappearance of a minor by Pakistani forces in Balochistan amidst escalating violence against civilians in the region.

Paank, the Human Rights Department of the Baloch National Movement, stated that on the night of January 13, a significant number of Pakistani forces invaded the residence of Lal Jan in the Buleda tehsil of Kech district, forcibly taking his minor son, Talib Hussain, into custody.

According to local sources, prior to his disappearance, Talib Hussain, who worked in agriculture, was reportedly assaulted by Pakistan-backed death squads and continually threatened with death. Following the raid, he was moved to an undisclosed location, with his current whereabouts still unknown.

“The enforced disappearance of Talib Hussain has plunged his family into deep fear and distress, especially affecting women and children traumatized during the raid,” Paank remarked.