Balochistan enforced disappearances: 4 more civilians abducted, rights groups allege
Synopsis
At least seven civilians — including two minor girls and two labourers — have allegedly been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces across Balochistan in a matter of days, according to rights groups Paank and the Baloch Women Forum. The incidents, spanning Dera Bugti, Quetta, and Kech districts, point to what activists are calling a systematic escalation of enforced disappearances as a tool of repression.
Key Takeaways
Paank alleged that four civilians were forcibly disappeared by ISI and CTD forces in Balochistan , reported on 31 August .
Saddam Bugti , 40, was allegedly abducted on 29 August from Dera Bugti district ; labourers Majid Shahwani and Abdur Razzaq on 26 August from the same area.
Muhammad Nasir , 23, was allegedly taken from his home in Quetta last month by ISI and CTD.
The Baloch Women Forum separately condemned the disappearance of two minor girls — aged 17 and 14 — and a 50-year-old man in Kech district .
Rights groups have called on international institutions to demand accountability and the immediate release or lawful production of all victims.
At least four more civilians have been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security forces in Balochistan, according to allegations made by a leading human rights organisation on Monday, 31 August. The incidents add to a growing wave of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances that rights groups say have intensified across the province.
The Four Alleged Abductions
Paank, the human rights department of the Baloch National Movement, alleged that 40-year-old Saddam Bugti was abducted on 29 August from the Nawab Bazar area in Dera Bugti district by personnel from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).
In a separate incident, two labourers — 28-year-old Majid Shahwani and Abdur Razzaq — were allegedly taken on 26 August from the same area by CTD personnel and police. Additionally, 23-year-old Muhammad Nasir was reportedly taken from his residence in the provincial capital Quetta last month by ISI and CTD operatives.
Rights Groups Demand Disclosure and Due Process
Paank expressed grave concern over the incidents, stating: 'Enforced disappearance violates fundamental human rights and must be immediately ended. Pakistani authorities must disclose the fate and whereabouts of all four individuals and ensure that anyone detained is held in accordance with the law and afforded due process.'
The organisation's statement underscores a pattern that rights monitors have documented for years — detentions carried out without judicial oversight, with families receiving no information on the safety or location of the disappeared.
Minor Girls Among Victims in Kech District
In a related development, the Baloch Women Forum (BWF) on Sunday strongly condemned the enforced disappearance of three civilians in Kech district, including two minor girls. The victims were identified as 17-year-old Shahnaz, 14-year-old Sharanaz, and 50-year-old Arif Essa.
The BWF noted that both Shahnaz and Sharanaz are students who have reportedly been subjected to enforced disappearance on prior occasions. The group described the repeated abduction of minors as a 'grave and deeply disturbing violation of their fundamental rights.'
A Systematic Pattern, Rights Groups Warn
The BWF warned that the abductions represent 'a deeply alarming escalation in the use of enforced disappearance as a tool of repression,' with families deprived of their loved ones without explanation, judicial oversight, or information about their wellbeing. The forum called on international human rights institutions to urgently raise these cases and demand accountability.
'The abduction of women and children must not be normalised, and those responsible must be held accountable,' the BWF stated, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Shahnaz, Sharanaz, and Arif Essa, or their production before a competent and independent court.
Broader Context
Balochistan has long been a flashpoint for allegations of state-sponsored enforced disappearances, with Pakistani authorities consistently denying systematic abuses. International bodies including the United Nations have repeatedly called on Islamabad to address the issue, which remains one of Pakistan's most contested human rights concerns. The latest incidents, if confirmed, mark a further deterioration in conditions on the ground.
Point of View
Targeting labourers, students, and minors within days of each other — makes it increasingly difficult to treat each case as isolated. What Paank and the Baloch Women Forum are documenting is not a series of incidents but a pattern, and the international community's muted response has arguably enabled its continuation. The inclusion of minor girls who have reportedly been disappeared before is the detail mainstream coverage tends to underweight: it suggests that prior disappearances did not result in accountability, emboldening repeat action. Pakistan's blanket denials, unaccompanied by independent investigations, do not meet the threshold of a credible rebuttal.
NationPress
31 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the four civilians allegedly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan?
According to Paank, the four are Saddam Bugti (40), abducted from Dera Bugti on 29 August; labourers Majid Shahwani (28) and Abdur Razzaq, taken on 26 August; and Muhammad Nasir (23), allegedly taken from Quetta last month. All four are alleged to have been taken by ISI and/or CTD personnel.
What is Paank and why is its account significant?
Paank is the human rights department of the Baloch National Movement, one of the primary organisations documenting enforced disappearances in Balochistan. It has consistently tracked and reported such cases, making its allegations a key source for international rights monitors, though Pakistani authorities have disputed its findings.
Who are the minor girls allegedly disappeared in Kech district?
The Baloch Women Forum identified them as 17-year-old Shahnaz and 14-year-old Sharanaz, both students, along with 50-year-old Arif Essa. The BWF noted that both girls have reportedly been subjected to enforced disappearance on prior occasions.
What are rights groups demanding from Pakistani authorities?
Both Paank and the Baloch Women Forum are demanding immediate disclosure of the whereabouts of all victims, their unconditional release, and — if any offence is alleged — their production before a competent, independent court with full legal representation and due process.
How serious is the enforced disappearance crisis in Balochistan?
Balochistan has faced allegations of state-sponsored enforced disappearances for decades, with international bodies including the United Nations repeatedly urging Pakistan to investigate. Rights groups say the practice has intensified in recent months, with women, children, and students increasingly among those targeted.
