Why Were Seven Civilians Extrajudicially Killed by Pakistan Forces in Balochistan?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Seven civilians were killed by Pakistani forces.
- The victims were involved in cross-border trade.
- Extrajudicial killings are on the rise in Balochistan.
- Human rights organizations are calling for accountability.
- Children are increasingly targeted in these violent acts.
Quetta, Sep 2 (NationPress) In a troubling continuation of violence, seven Baloch civilians have been reported as extrajudicially killed by Pakistan's security forces in Balochistan. This alarming trend persists amid a rise in extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and torture throughout the region, according to a prominent human rights organization on Thursday.
The Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, known as Paank, revealed that on Wednesday, the bodies of Quddous Baloch, Neik Saal Baloch, and Nizar Arz Muhammad were found in the Sorap dam area of Buleda, located in Kech district.
Paank stated that on September 30, both Quddous and Neik, who were drivers involved in cross-border trade and hailing from the Gardank area of Kech, were forcibly taken from Minaz city in Buleda by the Pakistani security forces.
Moreover, Nizar Arz Muhammad, another driver engaged in cross-border trade and a resident of Jaien in Panjgur district, was also forcibly disappeared by the same forces from the same locality.
As per Paank, another victim of extrajudicial killing on September 19 in Kech was identified as Faraz Rasheed, a mere 16 years old.
“Faraz, a resident of Riaz Mohallah, Sangani Sar, Turbat, was taken from his home by the Pakistani Army in December 2024. After leaving school in sixth grade, he worked as a mechanic at his father’s garage,” the rights organization reported.
Alongside Faraz, three other bodies were found, including Tariq Hamza, Abdul Sattar, and Zaheer Baloch, all from Kech district.
Earlier on Wednesday, Paank strongly condemned the brutal murder of an innocent child, Hashim Abdul Qadir, who was mercilessly shot by Pakistan army-backed death squads in the Buleda Minaz market on September 15.
Despite desperate efforts to obtain medical treatment in Karachi, Hashim succumbed to his injuries.
“This cold-blooded assassination exemplifies the genocidal state terrorism and systematic extermination campaign perpetrated by Pakistani security forces against the Baloch people, intentionally targeting even defenseless children to instill fear and suppress our national spirit,” Paank declared.