Pakistan: Concerns rise after six bodies found in Balochistan

At least six bodies have been found in different parts of Pakistan’s Balochistan, sparking concern and deepening the ongoing crisis in the region, Balochistan Post reported.

The identification process is ongoing. The discovery of the bodies and the growing number of enforced disappearances in Balochistan have sparked fear and calls for accountability from the families of the missing and local human rights organisations.

Five bodies were recovered at different locations in Khuzdar district and were later taken to Khuzdar Civil Hospital. Those identified are – Fayyaz Jattak, Saeed Ghulamani, Saeed Mirazi and Nisar Ahmad, who were subjected to enforced disappearances after being allegedly detained by the Pakistan Army and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in July, The Balochistan Post reported.

A body was found buried near Saleh Sheikh Goth in the industrial city of Hub Chowki. The body of the deceased has been taken to the hospital for identification.

Furthermore, it is also reported that Pakistani security forces have detained six people from different parts of Balochistan and Karachi.

Asif Jan Baloch, a senior member of the Barkhan Youth Union, was detained on Wednesday after the Kohlu commandant summoned him/her. his/her family is worried as he/she has been missing since his/her detention, the Balochistan Post reported.

Earlier this week, Nadeem Bewas was reportedly detained by Pakistani security forces from the Nasirabad area, and his/her whereabouts remain unknown.

Two brothers – Bakhtiar and Kamran – were allegedly forcibly disappeared by the Pakistan Army from Main Chowk ahead of ‘Maghrib’ prayers on Wednesday. Since then, their family has staged a sit-in in the Red Zone Kharan, where the intelligence agency’s offices are located, demanding their immediate release.

Hussain, son of Khalid, a resident of Kech Mand, Balochabad, and Rehman, son of Aslam, a resident of Peshtin in western Balochistan, were detained by Karachi police and Pakistani intelligence operatives from Karachi’s Leemarket area on July 27. They were reportedly taken to an undisclosed location, the Balochistan Post reported.

When approached at local police stations, police personnel told family members that they were unaware of the detention, indicating that intelligence may be involved. Family members of the two men have said that their numbers are sometimes on for a while and then go silent.