A wave of military operations by Pakistani security forces has triggered unrest across several districts of Balochistan, with reports of raids, physical abuse, and enforced disappearances emerging from Panjgur, Sibi and Dera Bugti.
Panjgur: Operation Continues, Residents Allege Looting and Violence
In Panjgur district, a military operation in the Paroom area entered its second day on Thursday. Local sources said Pakistani forces conducted house-to-house searches, allegedly looting valuables and subjecting women and children to violence.
Several men were reportedly detained. So far, at least eight have been identified, including Saifullah, son of Dilmurad; Abdul Rahim, son of Munir; Sameer, son of Ibrahim; and Nizam, son of Haji Essa. Sameer, a resident of Turbat, was visiting relatives in Paroom when he was picked up.
In response to the operation, residents staged a protest march on Thursday that ended in a sit-in outside the Frontier Corps (FC) camp. A large number of women and children joined the demonstration, demanding the release of those detained.
Sibi: Ten ‘Forcibly Disappeared’ in Ongoing Operation
Meanwhile, in Sibi district, a large-scale operation involving both ground troops and aerial surveillance was underway in the Lehri region.
According to reports, at least ten individuals were forcibly taken during house raids and transferred to undisclosed locations. Their identities had not been confirmed at the time of filing this report, and mobile networks in the area remained suspended as of Thursday evening.
Dera Bugti: Levies Official ‘Forcibly Disappeared‘
In Dera Bugti district, a Levies officer was reportedly abducted by Frontier Corps personnel in the Gopat area of Sui tehsil. The officer, identified as Nawaz Ali, son of Sattar Bugti, was taken while returning home from duty.
Local sources said this is not the first time that members of the local administration have been targeted in similar incidents.
‘Kill and Dump’ Tactics Resurface
These latest operations come amid rising concerns that the “kill and dump” policy — involving the disappearance and extrajudicial killing of civilians — is resurfacing in Balochistan.
In the past two days, at least three bodies of forcibly disappeared individuals have been recovered from different districts.
On Wednesday, the mutilated body of Sher Khan Nazar, a student and part-time labourer, was found behind the University of Turbat. He had reportedly been forcibly disappeared from Turbat’s Jusak area on 15 April. Local sources said his body bore signs of severe torture.
Also on Wednesday, the body of a minor boy was recovered in Pasni, Gwadar district. The victim, identified as Nizam, son of Mehmood, had allegedly been detained by intelligence personnel on 12 April. After four days in custody, his body was found dumped with visible torture marks.
Another body discovered in the Naal area of Khuzdar was identified as Farooq Ahmed, the son of BNP leader Noor Ahmed Mengal. Farooq had reportedly been forcibly disappeared on 14 April. His father had been participating in a sit-in protest near Lakpass demanding the release of detained BYC leaders and activists.