- A report by Paank documented how people went missing and were killed in Balochistan in December last year
- Paank claimed 86 people were abducted, 41 tortured and released, and 11 were killed
- Quetta reported the highest number of disappearances, followed by Kech, Khuzdar, Awaran, and other districts
A new human rights report released by Paank, the human rights department of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), paints a grim and disturbing picture of life in Balochistan during December 2025.
The report documents a pattern of enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings that, according to Paank, reflects an entrenched system of repression and impunity operating across the province.
According to the findings, 86 individuals were forcibly taken away during the month, 41 were later released after enduring severe mental and physical torture, and 11 people were confirmed victims of extrajudicial killings. These numbers, Paank warns, represent not isolated incidents but a systematic pattern of abuse carried out by Pakistani security forces and state-backed groups.
One of the most alarming incidents highlighted in the report occurred on February 2. Around 3.30 a.m., a large contingent of the Pakistani army reportedly raided multiple homes in Hub Chowki, Balochistan.
During the operation, retired Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Bakhsh Sajidi, his brother Naeem Sajidi, and Engineer Rafeeq Baloch, former Chief of Sui Gas Balochistan, were allegedly abducted without any legal justification. Mohammad Bakhsh Sajidi is the father of Dr. Naseem Baloch, Chairman of the Baloch National Movement.
Paank describes the raid as an example of "collective punishment," a practice it says has become increasingly common in Balochistan, where family members of political activists are allegedly targeted.
Districts Under Siege
The report provides a district-wise breakdown of enforced disappearances.
Quetta recorded the highest number of cases at 16, followed by Kech and Khuzdar with 11 each. Awaran also reported 11 cases, while Gwadar, Panjgur, Dera Bugti, Lasbela, Mastung, Chagi, Barkhan, and Kachhi reported smaller but significant numbers. Even Karachi, outside Balochistan, saw three cases involving Baloch individuals.
Victims came from all walks of life - students, teachers, drivers, shopkeepers, doctors, laborers, housewives, and even a two-year-old child. Many were detained from homes, workplaces, university gates, marketplaces, and checkpoints. In dozens of cases, families still do not know the whereabouts of their loved ones.
From Disappearance to Death
For some, disappearance ended in death.
The report details harrowing accounts of mutilated bodies recovered across the province. On December 4, the bodies of Khuda Bakhsh, Zahoor Ahmed, and Barkat Khan - all relatives from the Ledhi tribe - were found in Khaliq Abad Badring, Mungachar. The same day, the bullet-riddled body of Shah Zaib was discovered near a football ground in Zehri, Khuzdar.
In Panjgur, Abdul Wahab, a driver from a poor family who had been forcibly taken in November, was found dead. The body bore multiple bullet wounds. Khalil Ahmed, reportedly picked up by intelligence personnel, was found dead with clear signs of torture.
Other bodies were discovered in Washuk, Wadh, and Shamsar, where Sameedullah, a bakery worker and refugee, was shot dead by unidentified motorcycle riders.
Torture and Release
Among the 86 individuals who went missing, 41 were eventually released. Paank says these survivors reported severe mental and physical torture during detention. Many were held incommunicado for weeks or months before being freed without explanation or charges.
The report argues that such releases do not indicate justice but instead point to coercive interrogation practices and arbitrary detention methods meant to instil fear.
A Climate of Fear and Impunity
Paank concludes that the events of December 2025 demonstrate a deteriorating human rights situation in Balochistan.
The organisation calls for independent investigations, international monitoring, and accountability mechanisms to address what it calls "unchecked state violence."
"Balochistan is witnessing a cycle where people vanish without warrants, reappear with trauma, or are found as lifeless bodies," the report notes. "This climate of fear is sustained by complete impunity."
Paank has urged human rights organisations, international media, and global institutions to take urgent notice of the crisis and press for the protection of fundamental human rights in the region.
As families continue searching for answers, the report serves as both documentation and a plea - a record of lives disrupted, silenced, or lost in the shadows of enforced disappearance.
