Paank report reveals 128 enforced disappearances, 27 killings in Balochistan, urges EU to reassess Pakistan’s GSP+ Status
Balochistan [Pakistan], June 17 (ANI): The human rights organisation of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), Paank, has published its most recent monthly report for May, highlighting the concerning human rights abuses taking place in Balochistan, especially regarding enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
It also urged European Union to swiftly reassess Pakistan’s qualification for the GSP+ trade scheme, which offers favourable trade conditions based on compliance with international human rights standards.
In its report, Paank stated, “The cases reveal a consistent pattern of state-led repression, unlawful detentions, and targeted executions by Pakistani security forces. Based on verified reports from May 2025, the evidence reflects a sharp deterioration in the human rights situation across the region, with Baloch civilians, activists, students, and political workers increasingly subjected to intimidation and violence."
Paank’s report emphasised that despite numerous appeals from global human rights organisations like Amnesty International, as well as urgent findings and calls from United Nations experts, the Pakistani government continues to overlook fundamental human rights in Balochistan.
These warnings have not succeeded in stopping the surge of state-sponsored repression. Enforced disappearances remain alarmingly prevalent, with individuals abducted without warrants, detained incommunicado, and frequently subjected to torture. Their families are left without answers or avenues for justice, living in a state of constant fear and uncertainty.
The arbitrary detention of notable Baloch figures persists without restraint. Activists and leaders such as Mahrang Baloch, Sibghat Ullah Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch, Beeberg Baloch, and Bebow Baloch have been illegally held, often lacking formal charges or access to legal counsel.
Their only ‘offence’ seems to be advocating against injustice or asserting rights for the Baloch people. These actions are part of a wider strategy to silence opposition and suppress the democratic voice of the Baloch nation. The international community must no longer remain passive in the face of these ongoing violations, as urged by Paank’s monthly report.
“In May 2025, multiple cases of enforced disappearances and illegal detentions were reported across 15 districts of Balochistan, including 10 cases of enforced disappearances from Karachi, Sindh. Gwadar and Kech districts have recorded the highest number of incidents of forced disappeared. Total cases of enforced disappearances in May were 128", Paank’s monthly report said.
“The extrajudicial killings by Pakistani forces in Balochistan continue unabated. The Pakistani military is reportedly detaining and killing individuals without due process for undisclosed reasons. On May 27, people were extrajudicially killed, while in these cases, two people have not yet been identified, who were killed in the Nushki district of Balochistan and their tortured bodies were dumped", Paank’s post stated.
In Balochistan, security forces in Pakistan are engaged in extrajudicial killings, which means individuals are executed without any judicial proceedings or court authorisation. The state employs this tactic as a dual-purpose strategy.
The month of May 2025 indicates a troubling rise in Pakistan’s repression policies in Balochistan. The recorded instances of 128 enforced disappearances, 27 extrajudicial executions, and the deployment of death squads to instil fear among civilians, particularly women and children, highlight a profound and systemic breach of human rights, according to Paank’s report. (ANI)
(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)
World