Balochistan: Pak forces kill teen, disappear 3 youths, rights groups say
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Pakistani forces allegedly killed a 15-year-old student and forcibly disappeared three young Baloch men in Balochistan, human rights organisations reported on Tuesday, 30 June, as documented atrocities against civilians in the province continued to mount. The incidents, attributed to Pakistani security forces and affiliated groups, drew urgent calls from rights bodies for international intervention.
Teen's Body Found After Three Months
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) revealed that the body of Saif Jan, a 15-year-old student, was recovered from the Airport Road area in Panjgur district on Monday, nearly three months after he had gone missing. According to the BYC, Saif Jan was allegedly killed by Pakistan-backed death squads following his enforced disappearance.
Condemning the killing, the BYC said, 'When the state sentences BYC leaders to life imprisonment without proving any crime, why does it never take action against those responsible for these killings?' The rights body urged international human rights organisations and the global community to take urgent action, stressing that the people of Balochistan face severe oppression and that their voices must not be ignored.
Three Young Men Allegedly Disappeared by Forces
Separately, the Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) on Tuesday alleged that Pakistani forces had forcibly disappeared three young Baloch men. The victims were identified as Hammal Khan, 22, Azizullah, 20, and Saddique, 23.
The BVJ said, 'Their families continue to endure uncertainty, anguish, and the denial of justice while the authorities fail to disclose their whereabouts or ensure accountability. Enforced disappearance is a grave violation of fundamental human rights and reflects a continuing pattern of impunity that demands urgent international attention.'
Elderly Farmer Also Detained in Gwadar
The latest incidents follow an earlier case reported on Sunday, when Paank, the human rights department of the Baloch National Movement, condemned the enforced disappearance of elderly Baloch farmer Abdullah Mussa by Pakistani forces on 28 June at a military checkpoint in Gwadar district.
'The detention of an elderly civilian is deeply condemnable and raises serious human rights concerns. We demand the immediate disclosure of his whereabouts and his safe release,' Paank stated. The incident adds to a growing list of documented cases of civilians detained at military checkpoints across the province.
A Pattern of Documented Impunity
Rights organisations describe the situation in Balochistan as a sustained pattern of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, carried out at what they characterise as an unprecedented scale. Multiple human rights bodies — including the BYC, BVJ, and Paank — have independently documented cases across districts including Panjgur and Gwadar, suggesting a systemic rather than isolated problem.
Pakistan's government has historically denied allegations of state-sponsored disappearances in Balochistan, though Pakistani courts have on occasion directed security agencies to produce missing persons. International bodies including the United Nations have previously flagged concerns over enforced disappearances in the province. With multiple incidents now documented within a single week, rights groups argue the international community can no longer treat these cases as isolated events.