A young man, identified as Shah Jan, was shot and killed in Naal, Khuzdar, by members of an alleged state-backed armed group, according to local sources.
He was the brother of Zahid Kurd, the former chairman of the Baloch Students Organization-Azad (BSO-Azad), who was forcibly disappeared in Quetta on March 18, 2014. Despite repeated appeals from his family and human rights organizations, Zahid’s whereabouts remain unknown.
The Kurd family has endured immense hardship due to alleged state violence. Their father, Ilahi Bakhsh Baloch, passed away on April 19, 2020, reportedly from the trauma of his son’s disappearance, dying without ever receiving any information about Zahid’s fate.
Human Rights Groups Condemn Killing
Human rights groups say the extrajudicial killing of Shah Jan exemplifies “collective punishment” against the families of forcibly disappeared individuals.
The Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) condemned the murder, calling it “yet another act of collective punishment” and demanding justice.
“The brutal murder of Shah Jan, brother of forcibly disappeared ex-BSO chairman Zahid Baloch, by state-backed death squads in Naal is yet another act of collective punishment,” BVJ said. “The silence of human rights organizations enables such crimes. Justice must be served.”
Meanwhile, Paank, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), issued a statement calling for an independent investigation into the killing.
“We strongly condemn the extrajudicial killing of Shah Jan Baloch,” Paank said. “The ongoing cycle of enforced disappearances and targeted killings in Balochistan demands immediate accountability. We urge the international community to conduct an independent investigation and ensure justice. Impunity must end.”
Extrajudicial Killings and State-Backed Armed Groups in Balochistan
Balochistan has long been plagued by enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and a campaign of systematic repression against those advocating for greater autonomy or independence.
International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have documented numerous cases of forced abductions, disappearances, and killings of Baloch activists, students, and intellectuals by both state security forces and affiliated militias.
One of the most controversial aspects of this repression is the alleged use of state-backed armed groups, locally known as “Death Squads.” These militias, reportedly supported by Pakistan’s security agencies, are accused of targeting Baloch political activists, journalists, and students as part of a counterinsurgency strategy. Rights groups argue they operate with impunity, using fear and violence to silence dissent.
Calls for International Scrutiny
Human rights groups have repeatedly called for international intervention and independent investigations into these alleged “Death Squads.”
Amnesty International has urged Pakistani authorities to end enforced disappearances and prosecute those responsible for extrajudicial killings. The United Nations has also raised concerns over the deteriorating human rights situation in Balochistan.
Baloch nationalist leaders and activists claim that the systematic targeting of youth like Shah Jan Baloch is part of a broader strategy to instill fear among the people and suppress aspirations for self-determination.
They argue that unless there is international pressure and accountability, such killings will continue unchecked.