Human rights organisations on Wednesday alleged that Pakistani forces were responsible for the enforced disappearance of three more civilians in Balochistan in separate incidents.
Paank, the Human Rights Department of the Baloch National Movement, said 20-year-old driver Azizullah was allegedly detained during a raid carried out by Pakistani forces on June 29 in the Paroom area of Panjgur district.
Referring to reports it had received, the organisation alleged that security personnel, accompanied by a state-backed armed group, took Azizullah to an undisclosed location, with no information available about his whereabouts.
Paank urged the Pakistani authorities to "immediately reveal Azizullah's whereabouts; ensure his safety; release him if he is being held unlawfully or present him before a competent court; and conduct an independent investigation to hold those responsible accountable."
"Enforced disappearance is a serious violation of international human rights law and must end," the rights body stressed.
The organisation also reported another alleged case from the same day involving Umer Jan Baloch, who it said was forcibly disappeared from the Chitkan Bazaar area of Panjgur. Citing witness accounts, Paank alleged that personnel linked to Pakistani security forces took Umer from his shop.
"Since the incident, there has been no official information regarding his whereabouts or legal status, causing extreme distress to his family, who are extremely concerned for his safety,” the rights body noted.
In a separate statement issued on Wednesday, Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) condemned what it described as the repeated enforced disappearance of civilian Ahmed Mengal from Khuzdar district in Balochistan and appealed to human rights organisations to intervene for his immediate and safe release.
According to BVJ, personnel from Pakistani forces and intelligence agencies allegedly detained Mengal from his shop in the Jakharabad area of Khuzdar on May 26 before taking him to an undisclosed location. The organisation said there has been no information about his whereabouts since then.
The rights body further stated that Mengal had previously been subjected to enforced disappearance twice by Pakistani forces, making this the third time he had allegedly been taken into custody and disappeared.
Human rights organisations have continued to raise concerns over the situation in Balochistan, alleging that the region has witnessed persistent enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of Baloch civilians by Pakistani forces.
Also Read | Watch | Japanese PM Takaichi receives ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan
Also Read | US, Iran Agree to One-Week Pause in Strait of Hormuz Tensions
