Pakistani security forces have continued a large-scale military operation in Khuzdar district of Balochistan for the third consecutive day, with local sources reporting at least 15 to 20 cases of enforced disappearance.
The operation is ongoing in the Gazgi, Lizo, Koshk, and Latifabad areas. Residents say security personnel have detained individuals, blocked roads, and cut off communication lines. Internet services in the affected areas have been suspended since the operation began.
Locals expressed fear and frustration over the situation, saying the operation has disrupted daily life and left families in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.
Meanwhile, a protest rally organised by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) in Khuzdar was met with a heavy crackdown by security forces on Friday.
BYC activists had gathered to protest against enforced disappearances, the recovery of tortured bodies, and the detention of BYC leaders. Women participated actively in the rally, but Frontier Corps (FC) and police personnel blocked all routes, preventing demonstrators from advancing.
Despite the restrictions, female protesters managed to reach the protest site, where they were quickly surrounded by security forces. Law enforcement also deployed a significant number of female police officers to contain the protest.
Protesters said the internet had been shut down overnight, reportedly to disrupt the protest. Heavy security deployment was seen along major routes in Khuzdar, with checkpoints set up throughout the city.
“It seems that those trying to intimidate us are themselves terrified of our peaceful protests,” one protester told The Balochistan Post.
No official statement has been issued by the government or military regarding the reported enforced disappearances, the use of force against protesters, or the extended internet shutdown in Khuzdar.
However, Pakistani authorities said on Friday they would continue intelligence-based operations (IBOs) to combat militancy in Balochistan, rather than launching a large-scale military campaign.
“The intelligence-based operations would continue,” said Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), during a joint press briefing with Federal Interior Secretary Khurram Agha in Rawalpindi.