A young man, Shahzaib Ahmed, son of Sharif Ahmed resident of Killi Qambrani, Quetta, died shortly after being released from the custody of Pakistani security forces. His family alleges that he was subjected to severe and inhumane torture during his detention, leading to his death within hours of release.
According to the family, Shahzaib had gone for a picnic with two neighbors near Mangichar Dam on the fourth day of Eid al-Adha. On their return, their motorcycle broke down at night. It was then that Pakistani forces allegedly detained all three young men.
Shahzaib’s body showed disturbing signs of torture, including burn marks, broken arms, ripped-out fingernails and a severely swollen face. The family claimed melted plastic was dripped onto his body, boiling water was poured into his mouth, and the only food provided during his captivity was watermelon.
After his release, Shahzaib was taken to a hospital by a friend but succumbed to his injuries shortly after. His final words, according to the family, were: “Even infidels do not treat people this way during war.”
Of the three young men taken into custody, one remains missing with no information about his whereabouts, while the third is said to be in critical condition.
Human rights organizations have raised serious concerns over the increasing number of enforced disappearances and custodial deaths in Balochistan. In recent months, over a dozen individuals have reportedly died under similar circumstances in areas such as Mashkay, Kech, and Gwadar.
