Forced disappearances in Karachi, Balochistan: Minors among latest victims
Synopsis
Two 14-year-old students vanished after being taken by CTD and ISI personnel in Quetta at dawn — part of a fresh wave of enforced disappearances across Karachi and Balochistan. The same week, a Baloch civilian was shot dead hours after his daughter publicly begged for protection, with an alleged death squad named as responsible.
Key Takeaways
Two 14-year-old students were reportedly detained by CTD and ISI personnel from Sariab Road, Quetta at 5 a.m. on 24 July ; their whereabouts remain unknown.
Three men — Sabir , Abdul Aziz , and Aamir — were reportedly taken by Pakistani Rangers and CTD from Karachi's Mauripur area between 5–7 August .
Mansoor Anwar of Buleda, Balochistan was detained on 4 August — his second reported forced disappearance after a prior one in November 2023 .
Baloch civilian Inayatullah Jattak was shot dead in Khuzdar district , allegedly by death squads, hours after his daughter Asma Jattak issued a public protection appeal on X .
Baloch activists and human rights groups have strongly condemned both the disappearances and the killing.
Several civilians, including two 14-year-old students, have reportedly been forcibly disappeared in separate raids across Karachi and Balochistan, according to a media report citing local sources. The incidents, spanning late July to early August 2025, point to a continuing pattern of enforced disappearances by Pakistani security forces in the region.
Key Incidents in Karachi
Three of the latest reported cases emerged from Tikri in Karachi's Mauripur area. According to sources cited by the Balochistan Post, 28-year-old Sabir, a labourer, was taken away by Pakistani Rangers from a road near his home at around 8:30 p.m. on 6 August. His whereabouts remain unknown.
The following day, 30-year-old Abdul Aziz was detained from his home by Rangers at around 2 a.m., while a third individual — 28-year-old shopkeeper Aamir — was taken by Rangers and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel at around 8 p.m. on 5 August. The families of all three men reportedly have received no information about their whereabouts since the detentions.
Minors Detained in Balochistan's Quetta
In a particularly alarming development, two 14-year-old students were reportedly detained by CTD and ISI personnel from Sariab Road in Quetta at around 5 a.m. on 24 July, according to family sources. Their location also remains unaccounted for.
Separately, Mansoor Anwar, a resident of Kaur-e-Pusht in Balochistan's Buleda district, was reportedly called out of his home and detained by Pakistani forces personnel at around 3 a.m. on 4 August. Notably, this is not Anwar's first reported disappearance — his family stated he was previously forcibly disappeared in November 2023 and recovered nearly two months later in January 2024.
Baloch Civilian Killed After Daughter's Public Appeal
The disappearances come amid the reported killing of Baloch civilian Inayatullah Jattak in Khuzdar district, allegedly by Pakistan-backed death squads. According to the Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ), Inayatullah was shot dead on Tuesday — hours after his daughter Asma Jattak publicly appealed for protection and warned that her family's lives were under serious threat.
In a video statement shared by BVJ on its social media platform X, Asma alleged that death squad member Zahoor Jamalzai and his group had threatened to kill her father and brothers. Several Baloch activists and human rights groups have strongly condemned the killing.
A Documented Pattern of Enforced Disappearances
Enforced disappearances have been a long-standing and widely documented concern in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, where human rights organisations have repeatedly flagged the practice. The involvement of intelligence agencies, paramilitary forces, and the CTD in such incidents has drawn criticism from international bodies. The detention of minors and the re-disappearance of individuals like Mansoor Anwar signal an escalating disregard for due process. Human rights groups are expected to press for accountability at international forums in the coming weeks.
Point of View
Not just domestic condemnation. What is striking about this latest cluster of cases is the re-disappearance of Mansoor Anwar, who had already been through the same ordeal in 2023: it suggests that prior disappearance does not deter the practice but may in fact mark individuals for repeat targeting. The killing of Inayatullah Jattak hours after his daughter's public appeal is especially chilling — it implies that visibility, rather than offering protection, may have accelerated the threat. Pakistan's civilian government has repeatedly pledged to address enforced disappearances, but the documented frequency of such incidents, now involving minors, raises questions about whether those pledges carry any operational weight.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the latest victims of forced disappearances in Karachi and Balochistan?
The latest reported victims include two 14-year-old students detained from Sariab Road in Quetta, three men — Sabir, Abdul Aziz, and Aamir — taken from Karachi's Mauripur area, and Mansoor Anwar from Buleda in Balochistan. All were reportedly taken by Pakistani Rangers, CTD, or ISI personnel, and their families say they have received no information about their whereabouts.
What happened to Baloch civilian Inayatullah Jattak?
Inayatullah Jattak was reportedly shot dead in Khuzdar district, Balochistan, by alleged Pakistan-backed death squads. According to the Baloch Voice for Justice, the killing occurred hours after his daughter Asma Jattak publicly appealed for protection and named death squad member Zahoor Jamalzai as a threat to her family.
Why is the detention of two 14-year-olds significant?
The detention of minors by intelligence and counter-terrorism agencies, with no subsequent information provided to families, represents a documented escalation in the pattern of enforced disappearances in Pakistan. Human rights groups argue that detaining children without due process violates both Pakistani law and international conventions.
Has Mansoor Anwar been forcibly disappeared before?
Yes. According to his family, Mansoor Anwar was previously forcibly disappeared in November 2023 and was recovered nearly two months later in January 2024. His re-detention in August 2025 marks his second reported enforced disappearance.
What is the broader context of enforced disappearances in Pakistan?
Enforced disappearances, particularly in Balochistan, have been documented for over two decades and have drawn repeated condemnation from international human rights organisations. Pakistani security forces, intelligence agencies, and paramilitary units have been named in numerous cases, though accountability remains rare.
