Paank, the human rights organization of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), has released its monthly report for January 2024, highlighting the persistent issue of forced disappearances in Balochistan and the ongoing atrocities committed by the Pakistani state against the Baloch nation.
In January 2024, the Pakistan army conducted extrajudicial killings, leading to the deaths of 11 individuals, while an additional 39 people experienced forced disappearances following arrests. Significantly, 28 individuals who had been detained in the Pakistani army’s torture cells without any legal due process were later located and rescued.
In the previous month, individuals experienced forced disappearances following extrajudicial arrests, with cases reported in Shal (2), Ketch (19), Awaran (2), Dera Bugti (9), Naseerabad (1), Kutch (2), Gwadar (2), and Kharan (2).
Paank’s report highlights the tragic killing of Baloch refugees during the Pakistan army airstrikes in western Balochistan on the night of January 21, emphasizing that a significant number of those affected were children. In addition to the loss of innocent lives, a male political activist and two housewives also fell victim to these attacks.
The report firmly rejects the Pakistani government’s assertion that the airstrikes targeted the hideouts of Baloch Sarmachars.
According to the findings, BNM member Ali Dost, also known as Chairman Dosta Muhammad, along with his wife and three children, lost their lives in the Pakistan army’s assaults in the Sham Sar Sarawan area of Western Balochistan. In a parallel tragic incident, Najma Baloch and her nephews Mahikan, Mahzeb, and Farhad were also among those who perished in the attacks.
Paank’s report emphasizes that this situation raises serious concerns about the protection of human rights and the lives of the Baloch nation.
