A young man who was reportedly subjected to enforced disappearance on Tuesday night has allegedly been killed in the district of Panjgur, according to his family.
According to the family, Owais Ahmed Baloch was detained along with several others during a late-night operation in the Khudabadan area of Panjgur. Local sources reported that Pakistani forces carried out raids on multiple houses in the area.
Family members stated that Owais Ahmed was taken into custody along with his three brothers and another young man. The other detained individuals were identified as Bakhtiar, Irfan and Bilal — all sons of Haji Muhammad Hassan and brothers — as well as Hassan, son of Khalil.
Local sources claimed that firing took place during the operation and that Owais Ahmed sustained injuries. His family said he was taken away by Pakistani forces personnel while wounded. They now allege that he has been killed and that his body was later dumped. There has been no official statement from the authorities regarding the incident.
It is pertinent to mention that Balochistan has for years faced allegations of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Families of Baloch missing persons and local rights groups say that individuals are frequently detained without warrants and held incommunicado, with some later found dead in what campaigners describe as “kill and dump” cases.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has organised protests in Balochistan and other cities, alleging a continuing pattern of enforced disappearances and custodial killings. The group maintains that Pakistani forces are responsible for many of the detentions, a claim authorities have repeatedly denied.
International human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have also raised concerns over reports of enforced disappearances and alleged extrajudicial executions in Balochistan. These organisations have called on the Pakistani government to ensure due process, investigate allegations transparently, and hold those responsible to account.
The issue has been taken up in Pakistani courts and before official commissions of inquiry, though families of missing persons say they continue to seek clarity regarding the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones.