Two more Baloch youth go missing amid worsening human rights crisis in Pakistan

Quetta, Sep 2 (IANS) Two more Baloch youth were forcibly disappeared by the Pakistani security forces in Balochistan as the cycle of persecution continues amid an escalating wave of enforced disappearance across the province, a leading human rights organisation revealed on Tuesday.

Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, mentioned that both Khalil Ahmed and Naveed Baloch were forcibly disappeared from their homes in Chagi district by the Pakistani security forces.

Meanwhile, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) accused the Pakistani military of committing grave human rights violations in Balochistan, stating that the silence of the political parties and media further strengthened the oppression.

The rights body highlighted that the Pakistani government has attempted to conceal its crimes by suspending data networks across the province and intimidating the civilian population.

Highlighting the atrocities, the BYC stated that on Monday, in the Splinji Maro area of Mastung district in Balochistan, a wagon and its driver were abducted by Pakistani Frontier Corps (FC) personnel.

In protest against the abduction, Baloch women continued to stage a sit-in in the region. However, the rights body stressed that due to the network shutdown, there are growing concerns about a crackdown on the sit-in, which could occur at any time.

Citing local residents, the human rights body revealed that for the past three weeks, people have been subjected to daily violence at the FC checkpoint established in the area.

"Last week, FC personnel ordered the local population to evacuate the area and take whatever belongings they could carry, as a large-scale military operation is planned in the coming weeks, for which no responsibility for damages will be accepted. It should be noted that a few months ago, in the Sekhri area of Qalat, people were forcibly evicted, and homes, orchards, and crops were destroyed. During that operation, not only were civilians fired upon, but houses were demolished, agricultural lands were ruined, and tube wells and solar systems were damaged," the BYC stated.

The rights body appealed to international human rights organisations and the global community to hold the Pakistani government accountable for these grave human rights violations across Balochistan, while ensuring immediate justice for the affected people of Splinji Maro in the province.

--IANS

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