A Baloch journalist has reportedly been shot dead by Pakistani security forces during a late-night raid at his home in Balochistan’s Awaran district.
Abdul Latif, a correspondent for the Daily Intekhab newspaper, was killed in his home in Mashkay tehsil at around 3:00 AM, according to local sources. Witnesses said the shooting took place in front of his family.
Latif was known for covering sensitive issues related to the ongoing conflict in Balochistan. His killing has sparked widespread condemnation from human rights groups and local activists, who described the incident as a grave example of increasing state repression in the region.
Prominent journalist Hamid Mir said Abdul Latif had been receiving threats in the days leading up to his death. “Another Pakistani journalist, Abdul Latif Baloch, has been killed in Mashkay tehsil of Awaran district. He was working for Daily Intikhab and was receiving threats for many days,” Mir wrote on X.
Sammi Deen Baloch, a central leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), described the killing as part of a broader pattern of violence and repression.
She said that on February 28, eight members of the same family were detained by military forces from Latif’s home. Four of them were reportedly killed shortly afterwards, while the remaining four were later found dead, their bodies dumped. Among the victims was Abdul Latif’s son, Saif Baloch.
“These horrifying and tragic events are happening daily in Balochistan, yet Pakistani journalists, human rights defenders, and state institutions remain silent spectators,” Sammi Deen Baloch said. “If the murder of any citizen is a crime, why is there silence when civilians are shot while they sleep in their homes? Is it because they are from Balochistan, or because they lack connections to powerful institutions and influential families?”
“When we raise our voices against these atrocities, we are labelled ‘proxies’ and ‘terrorists’,” Sammi Deen said. “Yet we have always condemned every killing of civilians, whether by state agencies or non-state actors. Why do those who demand that we denounce violent incidents remain silent about human rights violations committed by state institutions?”
She further criticised Pakistani mainstream media for what she described as biased reporting. “Their journalism offers only a one-sided view of human rights. They see the atrocities of non-state actors but close their eyes to the crimes of state officials.”
She called on the media to verify the BYC’s claims by reporting directly from the ground in Balochistan. “Instead of spreading propaganda about the BYC, Pakistani media should visit Balochistan to report transparently and verify the facts on the ground,” Sammi Deen Baloch said. “Your silence will otherwise be seen as complicity.”
Journalists, human rights groups, and international watchdogs have repeatedly raised concerns over the safety of journalists in Balochistan, where freedom of expression is under severe threat. In recent years, dozens of journalists have been killed or forcibly disappeared in the region.