Allegations of Custodial Death and Extrajudicial Killing by Pakistani Forces in Balochistan levied by BYC
Murder and Suffocation: Brutal Custodial Deaths and Enforced Disappearances in Balochistan, Pakistan
June, 2025. The blood-curdling screams that echoed through the night in the province of Balochistan, Pakistan, belonged to a young man snatched by the Pakistani military. His name was Salam Haider, a 27-year-old native of Kumbail Dasht in Kech District, known for his unwavering resistance against oppressive forces.
As the clock struck midnight on June 12, the military stormed Salam's home in Ghatti Dhoor, Gwadar. They left no stone unturned in their quest for control, taking Salam captive and plunging his family into an abyss of despair. During his detention, Salam was subjected to merciless torture, before meeting his untimely death on June 15.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the military raid was more of a looting spree, with valuables like mobile phones, cash, and gold jewellery, being carted off along with the young man. But the brutality did not end with Salam's death. His family faced relentless persecution, ordered by the Pakistani forces to bury his body hastily, without ceremony or proper rites.
When Salam's brave sister refused to comply, she paid the price. She was brutally beaten by the security personnel, leaving her with injuries that required hospitalization. Salam's mother and sister were denied even the chance to bid their final goodbyes. The family had been robbed of their loved one and dignity all in one fell swoop.
Another chilling account emerged from Mangochar, with reports of another young life snuffed out in cold blood. Saud Nichari, a resident of Chotaank, was reportedly killed by the Frontier Corps during a military operation on June 13. The brutal cruelty of the act was emphasized as Saud had been previously enforced disappeared and later released. This didn't deter the merciless forces; instead, the family of Saud remains under the oppressive grip of enforced disappearance, with Kafayatullah Nichari, Saud's brother, still unaccounted for.
The cruel and relentless targeting of the Nichari family demonstrates the escalating trend of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and oppression in Balochistan, perpetrated by the Pakistani security forces. The incidents are akin to the work of death squads, marring the Eid celebrations and instilling fear among the Baloch youth. The situation in Balochistan is a far cry from peace, with violence and human rights abuses escalating every year.
Balochistan, once filled with vibrant communities and hopes of development, now confronts a stark reality. The resilient Baloch community is being systematically targeted, their future shrouded in fear and uncertainty. The inevitable question that looms large is not just about the lacking rule of law, but the erosion of the very spirit of humanity.
(Crafted original with insights from Baloch Women Forum and Paank)
- The disturbing accounts of brutal custodial deaths and enforced disappearances, such as Salam Haider's and Saud Nichari's, have become a staple of general news, fuelling concern and outrage over the erosion of human rights in Balochistan, Pakistan.
- The international news community has expressed its strong opinion against the ongoing war-and-conflicts and political unrest in Balochistan, demanding an end to the human rights violations and enforced disappearances that continue to plague the province.
- Crime-and-justice debates have continued to revolve around the severe mistreatment and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan, with calls for justice growing louder as the cycle of violence and oppression escalates, particularly in the face of the recent news stories exposing the tragic fates of Salam Haider and the Nichari family.
