On Tuesday, A chilling video made rounds on social media showing a Baloch youth single-handedly fighting off members of death-squad who had come to abduct him.
The video, which can be watched on The Balochistan Post’s Youtube channel, shows at least four armed persons trying to abduct a young man in Tasp, Panjgur. The man successfully fights off his abductors and makes a run for his life.
The video, which was filmed by a passerby in a market, shows at least three dark clothed armed persons trying to subdue a man in light color cloths. The three men, who all have their faces covered, can be seen hitting the man with gun butts.
However, the victim successfully manages to push away the death-squad members and at one point can be seen pointing something at the armed persons. It is not clear whether this was a pistol snatched from the death squad members or the young man was carrying a gun for his safety.
The Baloch youth then makes a run for his life and the three death squad members, followed by another member, retreat to their vehicle. The vehicle is a Toyota double-cabin car with tinted glasses, which, Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have mentioned in their reports, is mostly used by the personnel of Pakistani secret services to abduct Baloch activists.
The car also does not have registration plates on it, further confirming affiliation with state authorities. Panjgur is a heavily militarized city with number of checkpoints at different locations making it impossible for anyone else to bring a car full of armed persons without registration plates.
In the last part of the video, the car seems to chase the Baloch youth who escapes on foot. A single bullet shot can be heard after the car turns into the street. It is not clear whether the Baloch youth fired in his defense or the death-squad members tried to kill him.
However, locals from the area have confirmed that the Baloch youth successfully foiled attempt at his life.
“This man was lucky enough to not share the fate of thousands of other Baloch activists who go missing in similar styles only to be found killed and dumped on roadsides,” said a local activist from Panjgur while talking to The Balochistan Post.