Six more Baloch men have allegedly been forcibly disappeared by Pakistani armed forces in Balochistan’s Panjgur district and in Karachi, families and local sources said on Monday. The cases add to what rights groups describe as a surge in enforced disappearances across the region in recent months.
Sources from Tehsil Parom in Panjgur district said five men identified as Abdul Ghaffar son of Malang, Hamid son of Dad Mohammad, Majeed son of Rasheed, and two others belonging to the Marri tribe were detained by Pakistani armed forces and subsequently disappeared.
Local residents said the group had been living in Parom for labour-related work when they were detained and moved to an undisclosed location.
In a separate incident, a rickshaw driver identified as Shahzaib Samad was taken into custody from the Lyari Sargwath area of Karachi by personnel believed to be from Pakistani intelligence agencies. He was reportedly transferred to an undisclosed location.
His family said they have not been informed of any charges or given details about where he is being held and appealed to authorities for his safe recovery.
Human rights groups and local activists say enforced disappearances in Balochistan have sharply increased this year, with new cases being reported almost daily from multiple districts.
They say the repeated detentions without charge, coupled with the lack of transparency and continued impunity for state institutions, is deepening public alienation across Balochistan.
Related: Dozens ‘Forcibly Disappeared’ Across Balochistan as Bodies Recovered in Multiple Districts