Quetta, Sep 10 (IANS) At least one civilian was extrajudicially killed, while another was forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, local media reported on Thursday.
Citing family sources, The Balochistan Post reported that Pakistani forces allegedly killed Akbar Haider during a raid on his home in the Turbat area of Kech district and subsequently detained and forcibly disappeared his son Babar.
According to the family, Akbar Haider spotted several people climbing over the wall of his house and allegedly mistook them for thieves during the raid on his house on Monday night.
He reportedly fired into the air with his licensed pistol, after which Pakistani forces allegedly opened fire, hitting him in the abdomen.
The family said that Haider sustained serious injuries and lost a significant amount of blood, while alleging that the forces prevented him from being taken to hospital or receiving medical care.
The forces left the area after searching the house and completing other operations, but by then Akbar Haider had died from excessive blood loss, the family said.
Reports suggest that the following day Pakistani forces took Akbar Haider’s son Babar from Absar Football Ground and transferred him to an undisclosed location.
Expressing concern over Babar’s detention, his family said he had not been involved in any illegal activity, while calling on the authorities to disclose his whereabouts and produce him before a court if there are any allegations against him.
Meanwhile, Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, strongly condemned the enforced disappearance of four Baloch men by Pakistani forces in separate incidents across Pakistan, including Mastung, Quetta and Karachi, over the past few days.
The victims were identified as 20-year-old Ali Baloch, 19-year-old Bakhtiyar Ahmed, 45-year-old Habib Ur Rehman Baloch and 25-year-old Zakir Razzak.
“These cases demonstrate the continuing use of enforced disappearance against Baloch citizens and the urgent need for accountability, transparency and protection of fundamental rights,” Paank noted.
The rights body called on the Pakistani authorities to immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts of the four missing youths and ensure their safe release.
“All persons deprived of liberty must be protected from torture and other ill-treatment, granted immediate access to their families and lawyers, and brought before a competent civilian court in accordance with due process,” it added.
It further urged Pakistan to end enforced disappearances, investigate those responsible, ensure accountability, and provide truth, justice and effective remedies to victims and their families.
--IANS
scor/ksk/as
