In a comprehensive report released by the Human Rights Department of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), Paank, the human rights situation in Balochistan for February 2024 is laid bare, revealing a troubling surge in enforced disappearances and military actions in the region.
The report discloses that the month of February witnessed 33 documented cases of enforced disappearances across various areas of Balochistan. Shockingly, 28 individuals, who were forcibly disappeared, were later released from torture cells. Moreover, in the aftermath of the conflict between the Pakistan Army and Baloch Sarmachars[freedom fighters] in Mach, five individuals, previously forcibly disappeared while in custody, were labeled as attackers and subsequently killed.
Addressing the protests by relatives of the disappeared individuals in Kech and Gwadar, the report underscores the urgent need for in-depth research into the profound damage inflicted upon Baloch society. It highlights the coercion of Baloch youth into forced exile or collaboration with the Pakistani army, transforming them into living corpses or indifferent members of their society.
The Paank report points out that protests often conclude with police assurances that disappeared youths would be falsely implicated in cases to justify their arrest and detention. Characterizing this as a human rights violation, the report calls for increased attention from human rights organizations and legal assistance for those imprisoned in Balochistan jails who were previously forcibly disappeared by the Pakistani army.
Detailing the demise of five detainees at the hands of the Pakistan army in Mach, the report provides evidence of their enforced disappearances and calls for international intervention to halt the cycle of violence. The report strongly denounces Pakistani military aggressions in Bolan, emphasizing the need for an urgent international investigation into the actions of the Pakistani army and urging the international community to press the Pakistani government for access to international organizations and media.
The report highlights that Baloch Sarmachars engage in guerilla warfare, with hideouts located away from cities and populations. Despite this, the Pakistani army consistently encircles civilian populations during military actions, leading to repeated complaints of human rights violations. The silence on these matters is detrimental to the dignity of humanity, the report read.