Despite the Pakistani government’s countless promises, enforced disappearances – the heinous practice by which state forces take someone in custody but deny doing so – is still not a crime in Pakistan. Thousands of disappeared, as well as their families, have yet to see justice.
During the second week of April 2020, 10 civilians were abducted by security forces, 4 killed and four dead bodies were found in a coal mine. Below is the chronological order of cases of enforced disappearances and killings that happened during the second week of April 2020.
On April 07, four persons of the same family were forcefully disappeared by Pakistani security forces during a raid in Jakki, Mashkay, district Awaran. The victims were later identified as Khair Jan Majeed, Zubair Majeed, Guhram Shafi Mohammed, and Hameed Dur Mohammed.
On the same day, security forces raided a house in Gardank Buleda district Kech and forcefully disappeared Anwar Meeran and Rasheed Anam from the scene. No one has heard of their whereabouts since.
Similarly, four civilians were made victims of enforced disappearance from Zain Koh area of Dera Buti on April 07. Mangal Khair Mohammad Bugti, Gwari Khair Mohammad Bugti, Tajo Jangi Ali Bugti, and Zahoor Kohdil Bugti were later identified as the victims.
On March 30, Bakhtiar and Mayar were abducted by militants of the Balochistan Republican Army, a Baloch militant organization. Eventually, they were killed and BRA’s spokesperson issued a statement claiming that Bakhtiar and Mayar were working for the local death squad and Pakistani security forces.
On April 08, local levies forces in Shahrag, district Harnai conducted a search operation in a coal mine. Levies forces discovered four dead-bodies during the search operation and shifted them. The deceased were later identified as Zameen Gulkhail Mohammad, resident of Shangala Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muzzafar Khan Rasheed Ahmad, resident of Shahrag, district Harnai. The identity of others remained unknown at the time of writing the report. Levies forces later handed the dead-bodies to their respective families.
On April 09, 2020, An ASI police Officer, Barat Ali Hazar, was killed by unknown gunmen in Hazara Town, Quetta. His duty was in Barrori Police station, Quetta. The Edhi personnel shifted his body to the hospital, where the administration later handed-over his to the family.
