Quetta, July 1 (IANS) Another three civilians were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, leading human rights organisations alleged on Wednesday.

Paank, the Baloch National Movement’s Human Rights Department, mentioned that 20-year-old driver Azizullah was allegedly taken away by Pakistani forces during a raid on June 29 in the Paroom area of the Panjgur district.

Citing reports, the rights body stated that security forces, accompanied by a state-backed armed group, took him to an undisclosed location while his whereabouts remained unknown.

Paank called on the Pakistani authorities to “immediately reveal Azizullah’s whereabouts; ensure his safety; release him if he is being held unlawfully or present him before a competent court; and conduct an independent investigation to hold those responsible accountable.”

“Enforced disappearance is a serious violation of international human rights law and must end,” the rights body stressed.

In a separate incident on the same day, another civilian, Umer Jan Baloch, was subjected to enforced disappearance from the Chitkan Bazaar area in Panjgur. Paank cited witnesses who said that Umer was forcibly taken from his shop by personnel associated with Pakistani security forces.

“Since the incident, there has been no official information regarding his whereabouts or legal status, causing extreme distress to his family, who are extremely concerned for his safety,” the rights body noted.

Meanwhile Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) on Wednesday strongly condemned the repeated enforced disappearance of a civilian, Ahmed Mengal, from Khuzdar district in Balochistan, while calling on human rights organisations to intervene to ensure his immediate and safe release.

According to the BVJ, personnel of Pakistani forces and intelligence agencies allegedly detained Mengal from his shop in the Jakharabad area of Khuzdar on May 26 and transferred him to an undisclosed location. Since then, his whereabouts remain unknown.

The rights body noted that Mengal had previously been forcibly disappeared twice by Pakistani forces, and this was the third time he had been taken into custody and forcibly disappeared.

Balochistan continues to reel under relentless atrocities by the Pakistani forces, marked by enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of Baloch civilians at an unprecedented level.

–IANS

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