Amnesty slams Pakistan over 'forcible disappearance' of Baloch activist

The details were shared by Amnesty International in a statement on its official website.

Noting how Jiand is the chairperson of the Baloch Students Organization (BSO), a student organization campaigning on the rights of students in Balochistan province and has been active on the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, who worked closely with families of the forcibly disappeared to campaign for their return--Amnesty International said that the 29- year old activist who has two children, a two-year-old daughter and a three-year-old son-- was forcibly disappeared from his home in Quetta, in Balochistan province, around 1 AM on 24 July 2026.

"Law enforcement, along with other individuals, arrived at his house at around midnight when Jiand was not present while his parents, wife and two children were present. According to his wife, ten men identifying as law enforcement and four men in plain clothing forcibly entered their home. Upon learning that Jiand was not present, they started to search the house while causing damage to it. The family also reported that the men started to physically assault Jiand's father and threatened to take his wife and mother. When Jiand arrived home, he was immediately taken from the gate of the house. No reasons were given for taking him nor was any information provided about where he was being taken. The police has refused to register a first information report regarding his disappearance," the statement said.

It highlighted how Jiand has been targeted for his activism in the past.

The statement underlined that while Baloch people have been historically discriminated against and marginalized in Pakistan, the crackdown on Baloch activists has intensified since 2025, resulting in enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions across the province of Balochistan and beyond. (ANI)