Pakistani forces and intelligence agencies have allegedly detained four people in the Mashkay area of Balochistan’s Awaran district.
According to local sources, on Wednesday night, a large number of Pakistani forces surrounded the Nokjo area of Mashkay and raided several houses. The detainees have been identified as Shahdad s/o Allah Baksh; Ateeq s/o Ilahi Baksh; Muneer s/o Nabi Baksh; and Jabal s/o Majeed.
Mashkay is one of the areas most affected by enforced disappearances, with a significant number of residents also subjected to targeted killings. The alleged Pakistani army-backed armed groups, locally known as “death squads,” are reportedly responsible for these killings.
Recently, reports have emerged that Pakistani forces are forcibly detaining local men, taking them to security camps where they are allegedly tortured and compelled to perform strenuous manual labor. These men are also used as human shields during armed confrontations with Baloch ‘pro-independence’ groups.
Forced labor and enforced disappearances allegedly perpetrated by Pakistani forces in Mashkay have drawn widespread condemnation. Human rights organizations state that such practices violate both national and international laws and constitute serious human rights violations.