Balochistan [Pakistan], July 13 (ANI): The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a leading human rights group in Balochistan, held a candlelight vigil on Saturday night to mourn the extrajudicial killing of Zeeshan Zaheer, a zonal member of the organization.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the BYC stated that Zeeshan Zaheer’s father has been a victim of enforced disappearance since 2015. Rather than ensuring his father’s safe return, the state, they alleged, returned the lifeless body of Zeeshan — himself a victim of an extrajudicial killing.
The vigil, held in Shaal (Quetta), saw attendees of all ages gather with candles and photographs of Zeeshan to pay tribute to his memory. “July 12, 2025 — Shaal (Quetta), Balochistan — Today, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) – Shaal Zone held a remembrance candlelight vigil in memory of Zeeshan Zaheer, a dedicated BYC zonal member. Zeeshan’s father has been a victim of enforced disappearance since 2015. Instead of ensuring his father’s safe return, the state returned Zeeshan’s own body — extrajudicially killed,” the Committee wrote on X.
The BYC emphasized that Zeeshan’s killing is not an isolated incident but part of a broader campaign by Pakistani authorities to suppress political resistance and silence Baloch voices. The Committee reiterated its call for international human rights organizations and the United Nations to intervene and investigate what it describes as “institutionalized war crimes” in the region.
Balochistan has long been the center of human rights concerns. The region has experienced decades of unrest involving separatist insurgencies, a heavy military presence, enforced disappearances, and economic marginalization. These issues continue to draw global attention from human rights organizations, journalists, and international observers.
On July 8, Amnesty International condemned the ongoing cycle of violence in Balochistan, including extrajudicial killings and abductions. In a post on X, the organization stated:
“Pakistani authorities must stop weaponizing laws to unlawfully detain peaceful Baloch activists and immediately release all activists including Gulzar and Mahrang Baloch — who has been detained for more than three months. Authorities should also urgently carry out independent, transparent, and thorough investigations into the allegations of enforced disappearance and extrajudicial executions to bring to justice those suspected of responsibility through fair trials.”
Human rights groups have repeatedly accused Pakistani authorities of abducting civilians in Balochistan without due process, using enforced disappearances as a tool to suppress dissent and intimidate local communities. While Pakistani officials routinely deny these allegations, civil society groups continue to condemn the security forces’ role in the systemic targeting of students, political workers, and ordinary residents. (ANI)
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