Mastung [Pakistan], June 21 (ANI): The Baloch National Movement’s Human Rights Department, Paank, has strongly condemned what it called the enforced disappearances of a 10-year-old child, Aziz Ahmed Lehri, and a civilian, Muhammad Rizwan, in Mastung, Balochistan, on June 20. The group described the incidents as part of a growing pattern of repression and state violence targeting Baloch civilians, including children.
According to Paank, Aziz Ahmed Lehri was abducted by Pakistani security forces, marking what the group says is a gross violation of international child protection and human rights laws. The disappearance of a child of such a young age, they said, underscores the indiscriminate nature of enforced disappearances in the region and highlights the deepening humanitarian crisis in Balochistan.
In a separate incident on the same day, Muhammad Rizwan, a resident of Killi Kongrah in Mastung, was forcibly taken from his home in a pre-dawn raid by personnel from the Frontier Corps (FC) and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD). The raid reportedly occurred at approximately 3:15 a.m., and no reason or legal warrant was provided during the abduction, according to local reports cited by Paank.
In a statement, Paank condemned both cases, calling them “a stark escalation of Pakistan’s repressive tactics in Balochistan.” The group said the enforced disappearance of a child is particularly egregious and symbolic of the state’s disregard for human rights.
“These enforced disappearances are not only a gross violation of moral and legal standards but also evidence of Pakistan’s brutal campaign of repression against the Baloch people,” Paank said.
The organization is urging international human rights organizations and global governments to take immediate action to ensure the safe return of Aziz Ahmed Lehri and Muhammad Rizwan, and to hold Pakistan accountable for what it described as ongoing crimes against humanity in Balochistan.
Enforced disappearances have long been a controversial and alarming issue in Balochistan, with local and international rights groups regularly documenting such cases. Activists have repeatedly accused the Pakistani state of targeting civilians, students, and even minors under the pretext of security operations, a charge the government has routinely denied. (ANI)
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