A disturbing new wave of enforced disappearances has swept across Pakistan's Balochistan province and the city of Karachi, with human rights defenders reporting that at least nine more Baloch citizens have been allegedly taken away by state security agencies in recent weeks. The incidents follow a long-standing pattern where individuals are arrested without warrants and vanish into secret detention, never presented before a court of law.
Details of the Recent Abductions
According to reports compiled by The Balochistan Post, the recent cases span several districts. In Mand, located in the Kech district, a man identified as Abdullah, son of Iqbal, was reportedly whisked away and shifted to an unknown facility. In Karachi's Golimar area, officials from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) detained 24-year-old student Hamdan, son of Muhammad Ali. His family has received no legal documentation or public acknowledgement of his custody.
The crackdown appears systematic. On November 2, 2025, three youths—Dawood Baloch, Usman Baloch, and Hakeem Majeed Baloch—were picked up during early-morning raids in Bhatta Colony by joint teams of Military Intelligence and the CTD. Their whereabouts remain a mystery. Other cases include:
- The late-night detention of religious instructor Zubair from Quetta's Lak Pass area on November 20.
- The abduction of labourer Muhammad Iqbal Marri from outside the Rakhni Sessions Court in Barkhan on December 26.
- A raid in Mastung on 11 December where Frontier Corps and CTD personnel allegedly took 21-year-old herder Saeed Ahmed.
In a particularly alarming incident, a 17-year-old student, Jamal Murad, was apprehended in Gwadar on 2 January by CTD and Military Intelligence operatives, after which he too disappeared.
Families' Struggle and Institutional Pushback
Families of the disappeared face immense hurdles in their search for justice. The family of Nasreena Baloch, reportedly detained during a raid in Hub Chowki, stated that local police refused to register a First Information Report (FIR). Furthermore, the Hub Press Club was allegedly locked to prevent them from holding a press briefing.
Amid this crisis, the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) continues its relentless protest. The organization's camp outside the Quetta Press Club recently marked its 6,052nd day, a stark testament to the prolonged and unresolved nature of the crisis. Relatives of the newly disappeared, including Nasreena Baloch's family, have joined this enduring demonstration.
Accusations of State-Sanctioned Abductions
VBMP Chairman Nasrullah Baloch has levelled serious accusations against state institutions. He claims that national security is being weaponised to intensify the campaign of enforced disappearances, which has now expanded to target Baloch women. He alleges a complete bypass of the legal system, where detainees are denied fundamental rights, courts are ignored, and new laws are crafted only to protect these extrajudicial actions.
Nasrullah Baloch has called upon both national and international human rights bodies to move beyond statements and take meaningful, concrete steps to end the crisis. His urgent appeal is for immediate action to secure the release of all missing persons and to hold the perpetrators accountable, bringing a halt to a practice that has caused untold suffering for thousands of Baloch families.
