Paank, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), has condemned the abduction and extrajudicial killing of Zareef Baloch, as well as the denial of justice to his grieving family, the Balochistan Post reported.
In a post on X, Paank stated, “We condemn the abduction, torture, and extrajudicial killing of Zareef Baloch, as well as the subsequent denial of justice to his family. Reports suggest that Pakistan’s forces have prevented the grieving family from taking Zareef Baloch’s body to Turbat for conducting a post-mortem examination and protests are deeply troubling and amount to a blatant violation of basic human rights.”
According to The Balochistan Post, the family has accused Pakistani security forces of committing this inhuman act and has appealed for justice during a press conference.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) also condemned the killing, stating, “Zareef Baloch was subjected to horrific torture, with his tongue cut out while he was still alive. This barbaric act appears to be a deliberate attempt to silence and suppress Baloch voices while concealing decades-long atrocities against the Baloch people.”
The BYC further highlighted, “When the family resisted this inhumanity, they took Zareef’s body for a postmortem and demanded justice for his cold-blooded murder. However, the family and residents of Tump were barred from moving towards Turbat by the Frontier Corps (FC) at Kolaoh, near Hasia Abad. The forces detained the family and confiscated Zareef’s body. Since last night, the family has been hosting a sit-in protest, which continues now.”
Paank lamented that such actions not only compound the family’s anguish but also reflect a deliberate effort to suppress opposition and demands for justice, reported The Balochistan Post.
Highlighting the threat of abducting Zareef Baloch’s children, Paank noted it underscores “the pervasive climate of fear and impunity that enables such serious violations to persist.”
The organisation has urged Pakistan’s authorities to allow the family to grieve and protest peacefully without disruption.
It called for a fair and transparent investigation into the abduction, torture, and killing of Zareef Baloch, ensuring that those responsible for these heinous acts are brought to justice.