QUETTA: The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has condemned the killing of Zohaib Ahmed, a graduate student and part-time shopkeeper, in Panjgur district, stating that he was forcibly disappeared and later extrajudicially killed by state-backed armed groups.
According to the BYC, Zohaib, son of Muhammad Azum, had arrived at the Municipal Committee Office in Washbood for an interview when a white Toyota Corolla carrying masked armed men entered the premises and opened fire, injuring a gatekeeper, Muhammad Alam. On 13 January 2026, Zohaib was reportedly dragged, beaten inside the office, and taken away by the armed group. His body, bearing multiple bullet wounds and signs of severe torture, was recovered from the Bonistan area of Panjgur on 14 January 2026.
The committee stated that, despite heavy security deployments, state-backed militias continue to operate openly under the protection of Pakistani security forces, carrying out enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of Baloch civilians across the province. The killing of Zohaib Ahmed, the BYC said, reflects an ongoing pattern of state violence, impunity, and serious human rights violations in Balochistan.
