Quetta, August 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Human rights organisations have alleged that seven Baloch students were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani security agencies in separate incidents in Karachi and Balochistan, raising fresh concerns over the reported targeting of Baloch students and civilians.
The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) on Thursday claimed that five Baloch students of the University of Karachi were taken away during a raid on their residence in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area on Wednesday. According to the organisation, the operation was allegedly carried out by Pakistani intelligence agencies and Rangers.
The HRCB alleged that the students were physically assaulted and harassed before being taken away along with their personal belongings, and said their whereabouts remain unknown.
The missing students have been identified as Azhar Baloch, Ghos Baksh Baloch, Shehzad Baloch, Anees Baloch and Waseem Baloch.
The organisation further stated that the incident followed the reported disappearances of two other Baloch students — Khalil Baloch, an MPhil scholar allegedly taken from the University of Karachi campus, and Zubair Baloch, who was reportedly picked up from the Hub region of Balochistan.
The HRCB urged Pakistani authorities to disclose the whereabouts of the students, ensure their safety and either release them or produce them before a competent court in accordance with legal procedures.
Paank, the human rights department of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), also condemned the alleged disappearances, describing enforced disappearance as a serious violation of international human rights law.
The organisation said such actions deprive individuals of their rights to liberty, security, due process and education while causing immense suffering to their families.
Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Sabiha Baloch alleged that the enforced disappearance of Baloch students has become a recurring pattern rather than isolated incidents.
In a post on X, she claimed that Baloch students face the constant risk of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance from university campuses, hostels and private residences, describing the practice as a form of collective punishment.
Separately, Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) alleged that a drone strike by Pakistani forces targeted a civilian area in the Goru region of Khuzdar district in Balochistan, resulting in the death of a minor child.
The organisation claimed the incident occurred amid intensified ground and aerial operations by Pakistani security forces in different parts of Balochistan. BVJ condemned the reported targeting of civilian-populated areas and called for an immediate end to such operations while urging respect for civilian lives and safety.
The allegations made by the various organisations have not been independently verified, and there was no immediate official response from Pakistani authorities.
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