The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has reported five fresh cases of alleged enforced disappearance in Balochistan, including a 16-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy, a healthcare worker, a teacher, and a tailor.
In statements and posters shared on social media, the BYC said 16-year-old Rizwana, daughter of Gul Jan, a first-year student from Killi Teri in Mastung, was taken into custody on June 28 at around 10pm from the Samungli Road area of Quetta and moved to an undisclosed location.
The BYC alleged that personnel of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) were involved in her disappearance.
In another case, 11-year-old Chakar, son of Majeed Murad and a resident of Buleda in Kech district, was reportedly taken into custody by FC personnel from his native area on July 17 at around 8pm. His whereabouts have remained unknown since then.
The BYC also reported the disappearance of Dilshad Baloch, 27, son of Nazar Muhammad, a vaccinator at a Basic Health Unit (BHU) and a resident of Kohlu district.
According to BYC, Dilshad was taken on July 17 at around 1am from the Baiker area of Dera Bugti by members of a government-backed Aman Force and was later handed over to the CTD.
Fazal Baloch, son of Dost Muhammad, a 30-year-old teacher and resident of Awaran, was reportedly taken into custody by personnel of the FC, CTD and Military Intelligence on July 17 at around 1am from Ameerabad in Hub Chowki. His whereabouts remain unknown.
Jahanzaib Baloch, son of Abdul Samad, an 18-year-old tailor from Panjgur, was reportedly taken into custody on July 9 at around 2pm from the Chitkan area of Panjgur and moved to an undisclosed location.
Families of the disappeared persons demanded their immediate recovery, saying that if there were any allegations against them, they should be produced before a court in accordance with the law.
Enforced disappearances have remained one of the most contested human rights issues in Balochistan. Families of missing persons, human rights organisations and groups including the BYC and the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) have repeatedly accused Pakistani military and intelligence agencies of detaining people without due process and withholding information about their whereabouts.
Pakistani authorities have generally denied allegations of systematic enforced disappearances. Domestic and international human rights organisations, however, have continued to express concern over reported cases of enforced disappearance in Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan, calling for transparent investigations and accountability.