Pakistani forces have allegedly detained and forcibly disappeared five people from Gwadar and Turbat cities of Balochistan.
According to reports, Pakistani forces have allegedly forcibly disappeared five Baloch youths during raids in Turbat and Gwadar. Meanwhile, one person was later released, and four remain missing. The missings have been identified as, Dad Shah, son of Nasir, Irfan, son of Sher Muhammad, Zaman, son of Sepahan, Abdul Hussain Rahmat and Altaf Bahram.
On December 16, 2024, Pakistani forces reportedly detained Zaman Sepahan, Abdul Hussain Rahmat, and Altaf Bahram from Turbat. While Altaf was released, Zaman and Abdul Hussain remain missing. Similarly, on December 12, 2024, Irfan was reportedly detained from Turbat’s Salala Bazaar. Separately, on the night of December 21, Dad Shah was detained from the coastal area of Gwadar.
Zaman, son of Sepahan, a resident of the Balgatar area in Kech, is no stranger to this fate. He and his brother Majid Baloch were first detained on June 9, 2020. Both were released after six months of alleged torture. Zaman was again forcibly disappeared from Turbat Bazaar on February 10, 2022, and released later. His current detention marks the third instance of such targeting.
It pertains to mention that the continued trend of enforced disappearances in Balochistan has alarmed human rights groups, with critics pointing to a lack of accountability and transparency in the actions of Pakistani security forces. Families of the missing individuals are calling for immediate investigations and the safe recovery of their loved ones.