QUETTA: The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has said that Dr. Zareef Baloch, a medical dispenser, was forcibly disappeared and later extrajudicially killed by a state-backed armed group in the Gishkore area of Awaran.
According to the BYC, Dr. Zareef Baloch, son of Muhammad Yaqoob, was abducted at around 5:00 PM on 14 January 2025 from his medical store in the Reakchai area by armed men described as members of a state-backed death squad operating openly in daylight. The organization claimed that he was taken from his workplace and killed within hours.
The BYC said that Dr. Zareef’s body, bearing visible signs of violence, was later recovered from the Hotan River at around 7:00 PM the same day.
In its statement, the committee said Dr. Zareef was a healthcare worker who provided essential medical services to the local population. The organization described his killing as a serious violation of the right to life and part of a broader pattern of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and impunity in Balochistan.
The BYC further stated that the targeting of healthcare workers, along with students, teachers and other civilians, has contributed to widespread fear and psychological trauma and has severely affected the social fabric of the region. The committee called for urgent international attention and accountability over alleged human rights violations in Balochistan.
