The wave of enforced disappearances in Balochistan shows no sign of slowing down, with reports of eight more individuals allegedly abducted from different areas.
In Panjgur, sources say that on October 23, members of a state-backed armed group, commonly referred to as a “death squad,” allegedly abducted Irshad Ahmed, son of Muhammad Ismail, from a shop near his home.
Reports from Panjgur also suggest that on October 14, four individuals traveling toward Gwadar were allegedly detained by Pakistani forces. Three of the men were later released, but Adnan Baloch, son of Ameer, remains missing.
In the coastal city of Gwadar, Qadeer Ahmed, son of Lal Bakhsh, was allegedly abducted by Pakistani forces on October 19 in the Pasni area.
Meanwhile, in Dera Bugti, five more individuals were reportedly subjected to enforced disappearance between October 17 and 21. These include Shah Murad, son of Thappa Bugti, Mustafa, son of Ahmed Ali Bugti, Bazid, son of Khaleq Dad, Ghulam Rasool, son of Ali Khan, and Khairullah, son of Nawab Bugti.
According to the Baloch Republican Party, around 25 people were allegedly abducted from Dera Bugti by Pakistani forces in the past week. The Balochistan Post has so far received the names of 21 of those individuals.
Reports indicate a sharp rise in enforced disappearances in Balochistan this month. Around 80 people have reportedly been abducted across various districts, with 78 of them identified so far.
In Karachi, 12 Baloch students and youth were reportedly abducted, while Kech saw the enforced disappearance of 10 individuals, Nushki 9, Gwadar 7, and Panjgur another 7. Cases were also reported from Hub, with four from Khuzdar, and one each from Kharan, Kalat, and Pasni.
In some positive news, two individuals, Shehzad Mehboob Malazai and Khuda Raheem, who were allegedly abducted from Kharan in August, have been released.