Fresh wave of staged encounters in Balochistan has caused outrage throughout the restive province. The families and Baloch human rights activists have accused security forces in Pakistan of murdering three missing men in detention. The victims—Abdul Rehman Buzdar, Fareed Buzdar, and Sultan Marri—had gone missing months ago. Their bodies were recovered from the Basic Health Unit hospital in Rakhi, Barkhan district.
Pakistan Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) officials said the men were killed in a shootout. But families say the confrontations were fabricated, and the men were detained illegally.
Families Reject CTD Narrative
The CTD reported on Monday that its forces killed three militants during an operation in Barkhan and recovered weapons after the shootout. But the rights groups and families dismissed this outright. They said the men were victims of enforced disappearance.
Activists accused the security forces of killing the men and projecting the incidents as real anti-terror operations.
Another Death Raises More Questions
In another incident, the corpse of Ghaus Bakhsh was discovered in Kolwah tehsil of Awaran district. He had been called to a nearby army camp, as per locals said. Later that day, his dead body, with evidence of torture, was found. The incident has further incited public wrath and bolstered accusations against security forces.
Pakistan has had a long tradition of employing enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions to quell the Baloch struggle for independence. Regardless of international criticism, the abuses persist. Families and activists report these abuses are never punished. Security forces are seldom held accountable.
Increase in Violence
As per the Balochistan Human Rights Council, there were 151 instances of enforced disappearance in March 2025 alone. During the same time, 80 persons were killed. These figures indicate a drastic rise in violence and repression throughout the area.
Families demand justice and rights activists call for international attention. However, the state denies all wrongdoing but the evidence grows clearer. Pakistan’s crackdown in Balochistan continues behind a wall of silence. The world must no longer look away.
