Duki, Balochistan: The three Baloch men killed in what Pakistani forces claimed was an “armed encounter” in Duki have now been identified. All three had previously been victims of enforced disappearance from different locations in Kohlu and Barkahan, shedding light on what human rights activists describe as yet another extrajudicial killing in a staged encounter.
The identified victims are:
Sohbat Marri, son of Qamees Marri
Sohbat was forcibly disappeared in broad daylight from near the livestock market in Barkahan. Numerous eyewitnesses saw him being abducted by intelligence operatives in an official vehicle. His disappearance had been widely confirmed by local sources and witnesses at the time.
Wazir Khan Marri, son of Rehan Marri (Poet)
A resident of Kali Koch in the Chamalang area, Wazir Khan was summoned by security forces for an “investigation.” He complied and presented himself at the military cantonment, from where he was forcibly disappeared. He was later falsely claimed to have been killed in an armed clash.
Haider Ali Marri, son of Wazir Hamad Marri
Haider Ali, a farmer residing in Barkahan, was abducted on May 24, 2025, near the FC checkpoint located between Barkahan and Kohlu, just 200 meters from the checkpoint. He was traveling with his young nephew on a motorcycle when he was taken. During the abduction, resistance caused a stone to shatter the rear window of the black Toyota Prado used by the operatives. Despite repeated efforts by his family for his release and assurances from security agencies he was ultimately executed in what has now been revealed as a fabricated shootout.
False Claims by Security Forces
The security agencies had claimed the three men were killed during an armed confrontation, a narrative commonly used in such cases. However, evidence shows that all three were already in state custody, having been missing for months.
Human rights observers and local activists argue that this incident is part of a broader pattern of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and fake encounters in Balochistan where individuals who were already missing resurface only as victims of staged armed clashes.
The families and human rights groups are demanding an independent investigation and accountability for what they describe as state-sponsored murder.
