Balochistan [Pakistan], August 14: On Pakistan’s Independence Day, the Baloch National Movement (BNM) released a stark reminder of the human rights crisis in Balochistan. Its human rights department, Paank, reported that in just the first six months of 2025, at least 785 enforced disappearances and 121 killings of Baloch activists were documented.
The revelations came through multiple posts on X, where Paank warned of the grave dangers activists face, including abductions, extrajudicial killings, and intimidation. The group expressed particular concern over the detention of Shabar Jamaldini, a young Baloch activist, warning that he may face deportation. It urged international human rights defenders to urgently intervene.
In another statement, Paank condemned the enforced disappearance of Dr. Usman Qazi, a PhD scholar and assistant professor at BUITEMS, and his younger brother Jibran Ahmed, an MPhil student in economics. According to the group, both were taken by Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in the early hours of August 12 from their residence in Quetta.
“The abduction of an academic and his young scholar brother is deeply alarming and utterly unacceptable,” Paank wrote, demanding their immediate release and accountability for the authorities involved.
Enforced disappearances in Balochistan are not new. For decades, activists, students, and intellectuals have been targeted, allegedly by Pakistan’s security forces, for advocating greater autonomy or rights. Thousands remain missing, with families denied information or legal recourse.
International human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have long condemned the practice as a violation of international law, but the crisis shows little sign of abating. The figures released by Paank underscore the scale of the crackdown in Balochistan, which has coincided with increased military operations in the province.