Eight Baloch students have reportedly been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Karachi, according to sources.
The students have been identified as Zaheer Shaukat from Kech Mand, Beebgar Amir from Washbod Panjgur, Ashfaq Khalid Dad from Naal Khuzdar, Shehzad Khalid from Naal Khuzdar, Qamber Ali from Naal Khuzdar, Hanif Badal from Ormara, Shoaib Ali Bakhtiar from Pasni, and Saeed Ullah from Gadani.
According to reports, the students were detained in the Gulshan area of Karachi and taken to an undisclosed location.
All of the students were pursuing their education in Karachi. Shoaib and Beebgar are history students at Karachi University, Hanif is enrolled at Federal Urdu University, Ashfaq and Shehzad attend madrassa, Qamber is an FSc. student, and Saeed Ullah is studying law.
Incidents of enforced disappearances of Baloch individuals in Karachi have reportedly increased in recent days. Just a day earlier, Pakistani forces reportedly raided a hotel in Karachi’s Saddar area, detaining four individuals whose whereabouts remain unknown.
In a post on X, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) accused authorities of targeting Baloch youth in retaliation for security failures. “The State vindictively targets Baloch youth after its security failures,” the statement said, urging unity among the Baloch people in resisting enforced disappearances.
“The families of the disappeared are in constant agony, fearing their sons may be targeted in fake encounters. The Baloch nation must resist these acts and push to end the scourge of enforced disappearances,” the BYC added.