The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Karachi has claimed to have arrested a suspected member of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
According to CTD officials, the suspect, identified as Asmatullah, was detained during an operation in Karachi’s Lyari area. Authorities stated that explosive materials, including a suicide vest, were allegedly recovered from his possession.
However, Local political and human rights organisations have disputed the claim, alleging that the individual had been forcibly disappeared months earlier.
According to these groups, Asmatullah was detained by Pakistani forces approximately eight months ago in the industrial city of Hub Chowki, which borders Karachi in Balochistan. As per reports, he was taken into custody on 24 June last year near the Barshna Hotel on Hub’s main highway, in front of the public, after which he reportedly remained forcibly disappeared. Reports say that authorities have now brought him before the public and presented his detention as a fresh arrest.
The CTD has previously faced similar allegations in Balochistan and Karachi, where individuals reportedly already in custody were later presented as members of armed groups following arrests or deaths in alleged encounters.
Earlier this month, on 17 February, CTD officials reported that four Baloch men were killed during an alleged encounter in Karachi. Families of the deceased said the men were scheduled to appear in court the following day. Relatives have since submitted complaints to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Karachi Zone, the Director General of the FIA in Islamabad, and the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), requesting an investigation into the incident.
Meanwhile, security operations in Karachi have intensified after the Sindh government announced a high security alert. Police, Rangers, and CTD personnel have reportedly increased operations in several areas of the city.
Residents in affected neighbourhoods say house searches are ongoing, particularly in areas with significant Baloch populations, including Lyari and Malir. Some residents have alleged instances of mistreatment during raids, including inappropriate behaviour towards women, the use of abusive language, and intrusive searches of homes and personal belongings.