Baloch rights groups allege five youths killed in ‘fake encounter’ by Pakistani forces

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At least five Baloch youths were extrajudicially killed by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, leading human rights organisations alleged on Wednesday. Human rights body Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) said that five young men were killed in a "fake encounter" on August 10 by Pakistani forces in the Cheedagi region of Panjgur district.

According to the rights body, one of the deceased, identified as Shoaib, was brutally killed in Cheedagi after being forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces for more than three years.

"The killing of Shoaib is another grave human rights violation in Balochistan where young Baloch lives continue to be lost. Enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings have left families across Balochistan living with constant uncertainty. The loss of young people does not only destroy individual families; it deprives an entire society of its youth, aspirations, education, skills, and future," the BYC stated.

On the same day, another 23-year-old Baloch youth, Peerjan Baloch, was killed in the fake encounter by the Pakistani military in the same region, after remaining missing for nearly 66 days.

"For 66 days, Peerjan's family was left without answers. They were never informed of any crime committed by him. No warrant or FIR was presented to the family before he was taken away. They waited for their son to come back alive, but received his dead body instead. This is not an isolated incident. In Balochistan, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, target killings, and fake encounters continue to take Baloch lives," the BYC stated.

Another victim was identified as Hafiz Mudassar, while the identities of the other two victims who were killed by the Pakistani forces have not yet been established.

Condemning the incident, Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, called for an independent, impartial and transparent investigation into these killings, the identification of all victims, and accountability for those responsible.

"The Pakistani authorities must immediately end enforced disappearances, disclose the whereabouts of all missing persons, and ensure that detainees are brought before courts and provided due process and fair trials," it added.

The rights body urged the United Nations and the international community to urgently intervene and press Pakistan to end enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan.

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