Prominent human rights activist Gulzar Dost, convenor of the Kech Civil Society, was forcibly disappeared from his home in the Absar area of Balochistan’s Turbat in the early hours of Monday morning.
According to local sources, men wearing police and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) uniforms entered Dost’s residence around 1:00 AM and took him into custody. He was reportedly blindfolded and taken to an undisclosed location. His whereabouts remain unknown.
The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) strongly condemned the incident, calling it an “unlawful act of enforced disappearance.” In a statement, the group said, “Masked men in police uniforms abducted Gulzar Dost from his home around 12:30 AM. He has long been a tireless advocate for human rights and has supported families of victims of enforced disappearances.”
HRCB noted that despite his peaceful activism, Dost was placed on Pakistan’s Fourth Schedule last year, a watchlist often used to restrict the movement of political activists. He has also been repeatedly targeted with what the group called “baseless FIRs” for participating in peaceful protests organized by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
Dost has previously been arrested multiple times, allegedly for his role in nonviolent resistance campaigns calling attention to human rights abuses in Balochistan.
The group demanded his immediate and unconditional release and called on authorities to end the ongoing practice of enforced disappearances in the region.