Reports emerging from the Mashkay region of Balochistan’s Awaran district suggest an increase in military operations and alleged human rights violations by Pakistani forces. According to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), residents, including women and children, are being forcibly summoned to military camps where they reportedly face physical and psychological abuse.
Local sources claim that men are being detained, subjected to torture, and allegedly used as human shields during clashes between security forces and Baloch insurgents. Families of individuals who went missing on April 26, 2024, including Sajjad Azam, Wali Jan, and Hasil Khan, have highlighted these concerns. These families had previously staged a three-day protest in May, demanding the safe recovery of their loved ones.
Women in Mashkay, many of whom are relatives of detained or disappeared individuals, allege that Pakistani forces summon their male family members to military camps and subsequently abduct them without providing any information about their whereabouts. The women have appealed to Baloch organizations, particularly the BYC, to intervene and help secure the release of their family members.
Residents report that these practices have persisted for a long time, with men regularly being subjected to forced labor and physical abuse at military camps. Recent allegations suggest that similar treatment is now being extended to women in the area.
In a statement, the BYC condemned the ongoing situation, expressing grave concern over the human rights abuses in Mashkay. The organization described the military’s actions as part of a broader strategy of “oppression” and accused the authorities of systematic violence aimed at subjugating the Baloch people.
The BYC urged the international community and human rights organizations to take immediate action against the alleged abuses, particularly those targeting women. The group also called for the immediate release of all detained individuals and a halt to what they describe as a “genocidal campaign” against the Baloch population.