Brussels, October 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Pakistan’s human rights record in Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has come under renewed scrutiny, with concerns over enforced disappearances, restrictions on political freedoms and the use of security laws against dissent, according to a report published by The European Times.
The report said the current phase of conflict in Balochistan resurfaced in the early 21st century, driven by longstanding disputes over political autonomy, representation and control of the province’s rich natural gas and mineral resources. The region’s strategic importance has also grown with the development of Gwadar port and its role as a key hub of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The roots of the Balochistan crisis, the report noted, date back to Pakistan’s formative years. The incorporation of Kalat into Pakistan in 1948 triggered successive cycles of insurgency, with the deadliest phase occurring between 1973 and 1977.
From Balochistan to PoK, geography has shaped not only where people live but also the security framework through which the state views these regions. As peripheral areas seek greater political space, the report said, the central government has moved towards an increasingly concentrated system of military command.
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The report highlighted Pakistan’s alleged policy of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, which has left families waiting for years for information about missing relatives.
Baloch activist Sammi Deen Baloch was just 10 years old when her father, Deen Mohammed Baloch, disappeared in 2009. Her prolonged search for him brought her to prominence as a leading voice representing families of the disappeared.
However, cases of disappearances have continued. In April 2026, Dad Shah, the brother of activist Fozia Baloch, reportedly disappeared from his home in Karachi, the report said.
Restrictions on political and civil liberties in PoK, meanwhile, predate 2026. The report cited documentation by the US-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch in 2006 concerning curbs on political expression and activity. United Nations reports in 2018 and 2019 also raised concerns about freedom of expression and assembly, the use of counterterrorism laws and allegations of enforced disappearances in the occupied territory.
In 2026, restrictions intensified, according to the report. On June 5, Pakistani authorities banned the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) under counterterrorism legislation. Telecommunications disruptions and arrests followed ahead of planned protests.
The report also pointed to efforts to draw greater international attention to human rights concerns in areas under Pakistani occupation.
“In March 2026, serious allegations of human rights violations in Balochistan, including the repression of ethnic and religious communities, were explicitly raised before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva,” it said.
Deadly clashes during protests in PoK in June 2026 also attracted international attention, with allegations of police violence and deaths among protesters prompting calls for greater scrutiny and accountability, the report added.
“One can only hope that the international community, too, will mobilise in response to the daily human rights violations” taking place in Balochistan and PoK, the report stated.
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