A young man was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the coastal district of Gwadar, with local sources stating that the victim had previously been subjected to enforced disappearance allegedly at the hands of Pakistani forces.
According to local reports, Kamal s/o Haji Dad Mohammad, a resident of Dasht Sholi in Kech district, was targeted on Thursday near Jiwani while travelling from Kantani Hor toward Gwadar. Eyewitnesses said the attackers were travelling in a vehicle and opened fire before fleeing the scene. He reportedly died on the spot as a result of the shooting.
Regional sources alleged that individuals involved in the attack were linked to an armed group described locally as a “death squad,” which critics claim operates with state backing. Nationalist circles and human rights organizations have repeatedly accused such armed groups of involvement in enforced disappearances and targeted killings across Balochistan, though authorities have consistently denied the existence of state-supported militias.
Family members said Kamal Baloch had previously been forcibly disappeared in October 2024 and remained missing for nearly two months before being released. Following his release, he was reportedly injured in an earlier shooting incident in Gwadar’s Faqir Colony while on his way to attend a court hearing, prompting relatives at the time to raise concerns about his safety.