Balochistan enforced disappearances: BYC documents 1,481 cases since 2025
Synopsis
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee has formally handed the Balochistan government a list of 1,481 verified enforced disappearances since 2025 — with 963 people still missing and families in the dark. As two more civilians vanished on 28 April and student protests over Khadija Baloch's abduction entered a sixth day, the documentation signals a systematic pattern that provincial authorities have yet to publicly address.
Key Takeaways
BYC submitted documentation of 1,250+ disappearances in 2025 and 231 in early 2026 to the Balochistan government on 23 April 2026 .
963 individuals — 821 from 2025 and 142 from early 2026 — remain missing with families unaware of their whereabouts.
Pervez Baloch reportedly disappeared after landing at Karachi airport on 20 April ; civilian Alim was taken from Panjgur district on 25 April .
Student sit-in at Bolan Medical College, Quetta entered its sixth day demanding release of Khadija Baloch , abducted on 21 April .
BYC warned documented figures are an undercount due to "limited access and resources".
Human rights body Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) on Tuesday, 28 April 2026, formally submitted documented evidence of more than 1,250 enforced disappearances in 2025 and 231 additional cases in the first three months of 2026 to the Government of Balochistan, bringing the cumulative total to at least 1,481 verified cases. The submission was made through the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and the Secretary Home, and was officially received on 23 April 2026.
Scale and Status of Disappearances
According to the BYC, the disappearances occurred during raids and intelligence-based operations carried out by Pakistani security forces, often conducted in front of family members and, in many instances, accompanied by physical and verbal abuse. Of those documented, approximately 400 individuals from 2025 and 75 from January to March 2026 have since been released following short-term disappearances, while some have been formally charged and placed in detention.
However, 821 individuals from 2025 and 142 from early 2026 remain missing, with their families reportedly unaware of their whereabouts or condition. The BYC cautioned that these figures represent only cases reported and verified through available channels, adding that "many more cases may remain undocumented due to limited access and resources."
Fresh Disappearances Flagged by Paank
Paank, the human rights department of the Baloch National Movement, on the same day brought to light the enforced disappearance of two more civilians in Balochistan. According to Paank, Pervez Baloch, a resident of Ornach in Khuzdar district, returned from Muscat on the night of 20 April to spend time with his family. Upon leaving Karachi airport, he was reportedly taken into custody by security personnel and has had no contact with his family since.
Separately, a Baloch civilian identified only as Alim was reportedly taken into custody on 25 April from the diesel market in the Chitkan area of Panjgur district by what Paank described as a Pakistan-backed "death squad". His whereabouts also remain unknown.
Student Protest at Bolan Medical College
A sit-in protest by students outside Bolan Medical College (BMC) in Quetta entered its sixth consecutive day on Monday, with demonstrators demanding the release of Khadija Baloch. According to the BYC, Khadija was abducted on 21 April by Pakistani security forces from the BMC female hostel in Quetta and shifted to an undisclosed location.
The BYC sharply criticised the college administration for its silence, stating: "Not a single step has been taken toward the safe release of Khadija Baloch. This silence is not negligence; it is a deliberate choice, and that choice makes the administration a willing partner in her continued detention and state suppression."
Broader Context and What Comes Next
Enforced disappearances in Balochistan have been a longstanding and deeply contested issue, with Pakistani authorities repeatedly denying systematic abductions while rights groups and families allege otherwise. This is not the first formal submission of its kind — the BYC and allied organisations have previously presented similar documentation to provincial and federal bodies, with limited publicly verifiable follow-up action.
Notably, this submission comes amid heightened regional tensions and growing international scrutiny of human rights conditions in Pakistan's largest province by area. With 963 individuals still unaccounted for across 2025 and early 2026, and fresh cases emerging weekly, the pressure on Balochistan's provincial government to respond with transparency is unlikely to ease.
Point of View
But for the act of official documentation — it creates a paper trail that authorities can no longer claim ignorance of. With 963 people still missing and new cases surfacing weekly, the submission exposes the gap between Pakistan's stated rule-of-law commitments and ground realities in its largest province. The student protest at Bolan Medical College adds a domestic visibility dimension that is harder to suppress than rural disappearances. What remains to be seen is whether the provincial government treats this as a legal obligation or files it away — as past submissions suggest it may.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many enforced disappearances has the BYC documented in Balochistan since 2025?
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee has documented at least 1,481 cases — more than 1,250 in 2025 and 231 in the first three months of 2026. Of these, 963 individuals remain missing as of late April 2026.
Who is Khadija Baloch and why are students protesting at Bolan Medical College?
Khadija Baloch is a student who was reportedly abducted by Pakistani security forces from the Bolan Medical College female hostel in Quetta on 21 April 2026. Students have been staging a sit-in protest outside the college for six consecutive days demanding her safe release.
What happened to Pervez Baloch after he landed at Karachi airport?
According to Paank, Pervez Baloch returned from Muscat on the night of 20 April 2026 and was reportedly taken into custody by security personnel upon leaving Karachi airport. He has had no contact with his family since, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
What is the Baloch Yakjehti Committee and what did it submit to the government?
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) is a Balochistan-based human rights body that formally submitted a case-by-case documented list of enforced disappearances to the Government of Balochistan through the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), received on 23 April 2026. The submission aimed to address discrepancies over the true scale of disappearances in the province.
Are the documented figures a complete count of enforced disappearances in Balochistan?
No. The BYC itself cautioned that its figures represent only cases reported and verified through available channels, and that many more cases may remain undocumented due to limited access and resources.
