Pakistan armed forces detained a student in Quetta and the relative of a Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) fighter in Panjgur district this week, according to family members and local sources.
In Quetta, relatives said security personnel took Sher Zaman, son of Ghulam Qadir, into custody from the Degree College Sariab hostel and transferred him to an undisclosed location. Family members and fellow students have called for his safe recovery. Human rights groups have long raised concerns over enforced disappearances and extrajudicial detentions in the region.
In Panjgur’s Paroom area, forces raided the residence of BLA fighter Gwahram Baloch, also known as Zagrain. Relatives alleged that family members were beaten during the raid and that Gwahram’s uncle, Karim Jan, was detained and moved to an undisclosed location.
The BLA has said Gwahram was among three members of its Majeed Brigade who carried out a “fidayee” attack on a military convoy in Kech district’s Dasht area last week. The group claimed dozens of soldiers were killed, though official casualty figures have not been released.
The detentions come amid continued efforts by Pakistan and China to have the BLA and its Majeed Brigade designated as terrorist organisations at the United Nations. A recent attempt was blocked by the United States, United Kingdom and France, who cited insufficient evidence of links to Al-Qaeda or Islamic State.
Rights activists and Baloch nationalist groups accuse Pakistan law-enforcement agencies of targeting relatives of suspected insurgents and political activists and carrying out enforced disappearances. Authorities deny such allegations, saying operations are aimed only at militant networks.