Balochistan: 46 forcibly disappeared, 17 killed in February 2019

Baloch Human Rights Organization and Human Rights Council of Balochistan have received and confirmed details of 46 cases of enforced disappearances. 17 cases of killings were also reported during the month of February 2019. A total of 36 persons were released during the month as well. Some of them disappeared for 2-3 years.

Families of the victims of enforced disappearance are still on hunger strike in front of the Quetta press club for the safe release of their loved ones though some victims were released after constant pressure on the authorities but still a large number of civilians remain missing.

According to the details security forces abducted 46 persons from Awaran, Chaghi, Dera Bugti, Kech, Khuzdar and Gwadar districts of Balochistan whereas rest of the 26 districts remained still inaccessible due to the media blockade and systematic anti-prosperity policies introduced by authorities to further suppress the voices raised against the grim human rights situation in Balochistan.

The victims of enforced disappearances include Dad Allah Ameen and Nawaz Dostain abducted along with Ahmad Yar Mohammad and Shaho Ameen from Talamb area of Mand district Kech on 1st February 2019. Locals say: “When forces raided, women and children were also beaten up and they forcefully disappeared Dad Allah, Nawaz, Ahmed and Shaho”. Ahmed and Shaho were released on the following day whereas the whereabouts of Dad Allah Ameen and Nawaz Dostain remain unknown.

On the same day Ishaq Ibrahim and Raheem Dad Umethaan were abducted from Jathani Bazar, Dasht district Kech and Maqbool Ahmed s/o Lal Mohammad, a 16 year old minor and a resident of Kharan, Balochistan, was forcefully disappeared from Dalbandin district Chaghi.

On 6th February, forces arrested a student of engineering in Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology from his hometown of Dera Bugti. Mohammad Ali Bugti was arrested by forces from Gol Chowk in Dera Bugti. It is the second time he is being forcefully disappeared by forces. He was first abducted from Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan on 14th December 2018 and was released after two days of incommunicado detention.

On 13th February, a young student Naseem Dilmurad was forcefully abducted by security forces from Apsar area of Turbat, Balochistan. Naseem is a resident of Bolor, Kolwa district Awaran. General Secretary of BHRO Abdullah Abbas Baluch tweeted on the matter and further said “Despite promises of Balochistan government to release enforced disappeared persons, forces are continuously abducting innocent civilians”. Naseem’s whereabouts are still unknown.

On 15th February, Shah Bakhsh Noor Bakhsh and Dad Shah Ishaq were abducted by security forces during a raid on Jalagi, Zamuran district Kech.

On 16th February, Sattar Dilwash and Shabbir Gul Mohammad were abducted during a house to house search operation in Goburd, Mand district Kech.

Pakistani security forces conducted a military operation on Sorger area of Jahoo district Awaran. During the military operation two confirmed cases of involuntary abduction were documented by HRCB and BHRO. The abductees were identified as Sohrab Huzoor Bakhsh and Fateh Mohammad Huzoor Bakhsh.

36 persons were released from the custody of security forces during the month of February 2019. Many of the released persons were missing for years, some for months whereas some were abducted in the same month and then got released.

Thirteen persons were killed during the month of February. A total of 3 persons were killed in different incidents of firing. Seven dead bodies were found dumped in different areas of Balochistan whereas two unknown persons were killed in a bomb blast in Dera Murad Jamali and a civilian died in a mine explosion in Dera Bugti, Balochistan.

On 1st February, Asif s/o Shapuk was targeted when a car full of armed men opened fire and killed him. The perpetrators later escaped from the crime scene.

On the same day another incident was documented in Sabzal Bugti Goth district Sohbatpur where a civilian Mehrullah Bugti was targeted and killed by unknown gunmen.

According to the reports, Idrees Qamabrani Mohammad Ayoub was abducted by unknown persons and a few days later on 4th February his bullet riddled body was found dumped in Killi Zarozi district Kharan. The body was shifted to a hospital and after identification his body was handed over to the family.

On 5th February, another dead-body was found dumped in Zehri district Khuzdar. The body was shifted to a hospital and later handed over to the family. The deceased was identified as Niaz Shahwani.

On 12th February, a mutilated dead-body was found in Saeedabad, Ormara district Gwadar. According to the locals, Talaho Jumma disappeared 6 months ago and despite efforts to find him his whereabouts remained unknown till his dead body was found.

On 21st February Pakistani security forces abducted Gwahram Basham, Muhammad and Siraj from Heronk district Kech. Later, on 23rd February forces Brought Gwahram Basham’s tortured dead body to the hospital and buried him without informing the family and against their will whereas whereabouts of Mohammad and Siraj still remain unknown.

Sher Jan s/o Mohammad Bakhsh was abducted by unknown personnel with his motorbike in Dat, Ornach district Khuzdar on 23rd February. After two days his dead-body was found dumped near a roadside with his motorbike. The perpetrators remain unknown so far.

Human Rights Council of Balochistan (Hakkpaan) is a non-profit and non-partisan human rights group based in Balochistan and Sweden. It collects reports from Balochistan, a region Pakistan government does not allow any media and HR group to visit and report. Human rights violations in Balochistan is not a new phenomenon, but it got its worst levels after the Military coup de tat of Pakistan in 1999. Thousands of Baloch have been reported missing, hundreds killed in fake encounters and so-called kill and dump policy of the military. HRCB collects the data from Balochistan itself, through its network of volunteers and supporters, organizes and reports them to the human rights mechanisms of the world.