Four men missing after alleged abduction by security forces in Gwadar, Balochistan

The missing persons have been identified as Meraj, son of Noor Bakhsh; Ijaz, son of Hussain; Ayub, son of Hamza; and Doda Khalid.

The young men, who are close friends and residents of the Dasht Maksar area in Kech district, were reportedly detained by Gwadar forces and have not been seen or heard from since, according to The Balochistan Post.

This incident contributes to the rising cases of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, a region significantly affected by alleged state-led abductions.

Human rights organizations and activists have consistently expressed concerns about the increasing instances where individuals often suspected of separatist sympathies are taken by security agencies and subsequently vanish without legal proceedings or formal charges, as reported by The Balochistan Post.

Meanwhile, in the Kharan district of Balochistan, family members of missing individuals Amanullah, Mohammad Dawood (son of Muhammad Anwar), and Arshad Ahmad (son of Aminullah, son of Abdul Qadir) continued their sit-ins for a second day.

According to PAANK, a human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), enforced disappearances have become a tool for silencing dissent in Balochistan, with students and young activists particularly vulnerable due to their potential to expose systemic discrimination and human rights violations.

The organization has raised concerns about the fates of the abductees, stating that many victims have been subjected to torture, forced confessions, and extrajudicial killings.

Enforced disappearances in Balochistan are not isolated incidents but rather part of a broader crackdown on dissent, with Baloch activists accusing military and intelligence agencies of orchestrating these abductions to suppress demands for autonomy.

The impact extends beyond the victims, instilling fear in local communities and further eroding trust in state institutions. (ANI)