Quetta, February 23: A leading human rights organization has expressed grave concern over escalating violence in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. Reports indicate that two farmers were abducted from Surab earlier this month and later murdered. Local media released this information on Monday.
According to The Balochistan Post, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) reported that 26-year-old farmer Taimur was taken on February 9. The BYC alleged that Taimur’s body was discarded after being held in custody for several days, showing multiple signs of trauma.
The organization stated that families of individuals who go missing in Balochistan live in fear of potential abuse during detention and the uncertainty of their loved ones’ fate. In many cases, victims have reportedly been tortured before their bodies are found in remote areas.
The rights group described Taimur as a hardworking farmer who supported himself through daily labor. They condemned his murder as a violation of international human rights law, including the right to life under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the prohibition of torture outlined in the Convention Against Torture (CAT).
In another incident, the BYC reported that 31-year-old farmer Murtaza was detained on February 9 by personnel from Pakistan’s Frontier Corps (FC) at the Mal FC checkpoint in Surab. The group accused authorities of arresting Murtaza without a court warrant or informing him of any charges. Following his arrest, his family received no information regarding his whereabouts.
The BYC has shared details of Murtaza’s case with the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, seeking clarification from Pakistani authorities about his fate. His body was discovered on February 20, 11 days after his detention, and like other reported cases of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, it bore severe signs of injury.
The BYC has held Pakistan’s state institutions accountable for Murtaza’s alleged extrajudicial killing and has called on the United Nations and the international community to take notice and demand a thorough, independent, and transparent investigation.
Last week, the BYC condemned a disturbing rise in extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and fake encounters in Balochistan during February. Their latest report confirmed that 19 individuals have been victims of extrajudicial killings, while additional cases await independent verification or official documentation.
The organization stated, “Children, youth, and the elderly are being targeted. Families seeking the truth are threatened, harassed, and intimidated. The rights to life, liberty, security, and justice are systematically and deliberately violated.”
According to the human rights organization, stringent media restrictions, limited social interaction, and an atmosphere of fear and intimidation have led to very few cases being formally registered or publicly documented.
The BYC condemned these actions as illegal and inhumane, representing a serious violation of fundamental human rights. They emphasized that these acts are a direct assault on the dignity, safety, and collective existence of the Baloch people. Families across Balochistan live in constant fear, with children, students, workers, and ordinary citizens being targeted, abducted, and killed without cause, due process, or accountability.
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