PAANK’s October report reveals significant human rights abuses in Balochistan, including 110 enforced disappearances and six extrajudicial killings attributed to Pakistani forces and local militias. The report describes a systematic campaign targeting civilians—particularly students and activists—amid rising military operations. Urging international intervention, PAANK highlights a humanitarian crisis that demands urgent global attention.
In a grim account of the state of human rights in Balochistan, a report from PAANK, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement, reveals a stark rise in abuses during October 2024. Documenting 110 enforced disappearances and six extrajudicial killings, the report paints a distressing picture of targeted violence against Baloch students, political activists, and civilians. According to PAANK, the Pakistani military and their local militias are implicated in this systematic campaign, which they characterize as a humanitarian crisis deserving of international attention and intervention. The harrowing report indicates that 110 individuals have vanished across 14 districts of Balochistan, with Dera Bugti bearing the brunt, reporting the highest number of disappearances—27 cases, many involving Baloch students allegedly kidnapped by military forces. Additionally, the document details extrajudicial killings, including the violent slaying of Pir Jan in Panjgur, and another case where a man named Altaf was gunned down in the Kech district. Militarization is reportedly surging; regions like Dera Bugti, Kech, and Barkhan are seeing increased military operations, compelling several residents into displacement. Among the alarming actors in this situation is a group labeled as the ‘Aman Force,’ purportedly operating alongside military authorities to instill fear and suppress dissent. On October 26, peace’s fragile veil was further torn as security forces violently dispersed a protest in Karachi against enforced disappearances, resulting in numerous arrests, including that of Baloch Yakjehti Committee leader Lala Wahab Baloch, who was later released by a court order. As PAANK’s report highlights these ongoing atrocities, they echo a clarion call for urgent global action, emphasizing that the time for silence from the international community has long passed. In the face of such grave violations, PAANK underscores the pressing need for thorough investigations into what they frame as war crimes in Balochistan. It is a plea for the world to listen, to see the suffering, and to act before the cycle of violence and disappearances spirals further into chaos, an entreaty grounded in the hope that justice may yet prevail.
Balochistan, a province in Pakistan, has long been the epicenter of tension, with ongoing strife stemming from historical grievances related to governance, resource allocation, and ethnic identity. Amidst this turmoil, reports of human rights violations have surged, especially concerning enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. PAANK, which focuses on safeguarding human rights for the Baloch people, sheds light on the dire situation, representing voices that are often silenced or ignored. The systematic targeting of civilians, particularly students and activists, raises critical questions about accountability for the state and its affiliates while demanding a vigilant response from the global community.
The PAANK report offers a distressing glimpse into the escalating human rights abuses in Balochistan, detailing enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings attributed to state forces and local militias. As they call for international investigation into these acts, the plight of the Baloch people becomes a pressing humanitarian issue demanding urgent global action and advocacy. The situation underscores the need for the world to remain vigilant and responsive to atrocities occurring in regions where silence can too easily condone violence.
Original Source: www.aninews.in
