The bodies of five men were recovered in Panjgur district on Friday have been identified as previously “forcibly disappeared” persons.
The deceased were identified as Imam Deen, son of Mohammad Ishaq, a resident of Sordo; Majid, son of Abdul Majeed, a resident of Sordo; Zia, son of Noorullah, a resident of Sordo; Salman, son of Peeran, a resident of Bonistan; and Hafeez, son of Abdul Rehman, a resident of Taar.
According to available information, Majid was reportedly detained by Pakistani security forces in Sordo in 2022 and had remained missing since then. Similarly, Zia was reportedly taken into custody from his home during a late-night raid in 2022 and had not been seen since, according to family members and local sources.
Regional sources said the other three men had also previously been reported missing. Their bodies were reportedly brought to the hospital on Friday.
This marks the second time this week that five bodies have been brought to Panjgur Teaching Hospital. Earlier in the week, another five bodies were transferred to the hospital and were later identified.
Following that incident, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and other rights organisations alleged that the deceased were among individuals who had previously been subjected to enforced disappearance.
The latest development has prompted concern among human rights activists and advocacy groups, who have repeatedly called for transparent investigations into cases involving missing persons and unidentified bodies in Balochistan.
The recovery of bodies in various parts of Balochistan has been reported for more than two decades. Human rights organisations and families of missing persons have alleged that many of the victims were previously subjected to enforced disappearance and later killed while in custody. Pakistani authorities have consistently denied involvement in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, maintaining that security operations are conducted in accordance with the law.