Two men were injured in a shooting in the coastal town of Pasni, Balochistan, on Monday. One of the victims, Doda Nasir, had reportedly been released after being forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces.
According to reports, Nasir and another man, Riaz, were at a shop in Bangla Bazaar when they were attacked by unidentified armed motorcyclists. Both sustained serious injuries and were taken to Pak-Oman Hospital. Nasir is said to be in critical condition.
The incident in Pasni follows a series of similar attacks on individuals who have reappeared after enforced disappearances.
In August, Abid s/o Washdil, was shot and injured in Turbat’s Aapsar area shortly after being released from custody. He had reportedly been forcibly disappeared in March 2023 and released ten months later.
On August 17, another individual, Imtiaz Iqbal, who had also been forcibly disappeared earlier in the year, was attacked in Aapsar following his release.
Local activists and human rights organizations have expressed concern over these incidents. They allege that this pattern may represent a new strategy by Pakistani intelligence agencies, using state-backed militias—referred to locally as “death squads”—to target individuals who have been released after enforced disappearances.