The bodies of six unidentified individuals were recovered from two separate locations along the Quetta–Karachi Highway near Mastung city on Saturday, officials and local sources said.
According to reports, one body was found near the Deputy Commissioner’s House, while five others were recovered from the Datho Mor area along the national highway.
The bodies were later transferred to hospital under the supervision of City SHO Abdul Rauf Baloch for identification and legal procedures.
Sources said the five bodies recovered from Datho Mor remained on the roadside for several hours before being moved, allegedly due to the delayed arrival of an ambulance. Police later arranged for their transfer to hospital.
Preliminary information suggests that the bodies were several days old and bore signs of torture. Authorities have not yet identified the victims, while the circumstances surrounding their deaths remain unclear.
Local sources expressed suspicion that the victims may have been killed elsewhere and their bodies subsequently dumped along the highway. However, officials have not confirmed the cause of death or released details regarding the identities of the deceased.
The discovery comes amid continuing concerns over enforced disappearances and so-called “kill and dump” allegations in Balochistan. Human rights organisations, including local advocacy groups, have repeatedly accused Pakistani security forces and law-enforcement agencies of detaining individuals without due process and later returning them dead. Pakistani authorities have consistently denied involvement in such allegations.
The incident also follows a period of heightened tensions in Mastung and surrounding areas, where attacks targeting Pakistani forces and government installations have been reported in recent months. Authorities have attributed many of these incidents to Baloch nationalist armed groups operating in the region.
In response to the security situation, the government and military authorities have announced a series of measures, including planned operations in parts of Mastung and neighbouring districts. Several villages have reportedly been ordered to vacate their homes ahead of anticipated operations, while Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti recently defended controversial remarks regarding the cutting of orchards allegedly used as cover for attacks on Pakistani forces.
The proposed measures have drawn criticism from Baloch political figures, rights activists and local residents, who argue that forced displacement and the destruction of agricultural land could have significant humanitarian, economic and environmental consequences. Government officials, however, maintain that such measures are necessary to address security threats and prevent future attacks.
No official statement regarding the six bodies recovered in Mastung had been issued at the time of publication.