Balochistan: 14-year-old boy shot dead, rights group blames state

A 14-year-old boy was shot dead in Balochistan's Kech district, an act a rights group called a targeted attack by a 'state-backed death squad.' Separately, six Baloch men were allegedly forcibly disappeared from Gwadar by Pakistani forces.

A 14-year-old boy was reportedly shot dead in Balochistan, while six Baloch men have allegedly been subjected to enforced disappearance in separate incidents, according to statements issued by Baloch rights organisations on X.

Teenager Shot Dead in 'Targeted Attack'

According to a post by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), 14-year-old Raahi Assa, son of Muhammad Assa, was killed in what it described as a targeted attack by a "state-backed death squad" in the main bazaar of Hoshap, Kech.

Eyewitnesses quoted in the post claimed that armed men allegedly linked to Military Intelligence opened fire on the minor, killing him on the spot before fleeing the area.

BYC stated that Raahi was a student and emphasised that under international law, children are entitled to special protection against violence. The post said the killing represents a serious violation of fundamental human rights and international law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and added that the incident has spread fear in the region.

It alleged that such acts reflect a pattern of impunity in Balochistan and called on international human rights organisations to demand an investigation, identify those responsible, and work toward ending the operations of alleged death squads in the province.

Six Men Allegedly Disappeared by Security Forces

Six Individuals were forcibly disappeared by Pakistani forces from District Gwadar, Balochistan Paank condemns the enforced disappearance of six Baloch men from Jiwani (Panwan), by Pakistani security forces, including FC, MI, and ISI, between 25 December 2025 and 5 January 2026.… pic.twitter.com/akwWGplHot — Paank (@paank_bnm) January 11, 2026

In a separate post on X, Paank, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement, condemned what it described as the enforced disappearance of six Baloch men from Jiwani (Panwan), allegedly by Pakistani security forces, including Frontier Corps (FC), Military Intelligence (MI), and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), between 25 December 2025 and 5 January 2026.

Those named as disappeared include Rizwan, son of Rashid Baloch; Jahangir, son of Murad Baloch; Shabir, son of Abdullah Baloch; Sameed, son of Abdul Hamid Baloch; Israj, son of Noor Bakhsh Baloch; and Shamsuddin, son of Rustam Baloch, with one reportedly taken from an ISI office in Gwadar.

As noted in Paank's post, the organisation demanded immediate disclosure of their whereabouts, their production before a court of law, and an end to enforced disappearances.

Pakistani authorities have not issued an official response to these specific allegations at the time of reporting. (ANI)

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