Balochistan sees sharp rise in disappearances, killings in 2025: HRCB
Synopsis
A Human Rights Council of Balochistan report for 2025 reveals a grim human rights situation, with a 79% surge in enforced disappearances and a 25% rise in killings, attributing many violations to Pakistani security forces and allied groups.
The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) has released a report alleging a significant deterioration in the human rights situation across Balochistan during 2025, citing a sharp rise in enforced disappearances, killings and restrictions on civil liberties. Titled "Balochistan: The State of Human Rights in 2025," the report documents alleged violations reported across the region throughout the year and attributes a large number of the incidents to Pakistani security forces, intelligence agencies and state-backed armed groups.
Spike in Disappearances and Killings
According to the report, enforced disappearances emerged as one of the most serious concerns, with 1,482 cases documented during 2025. HRCB said the figure represented a 79 per cent increase compared with the previous year. The report also recorded 598 killings, marking an estimated 25 per cent rise from the cases documented in 2024. HRCB alleged that security forces and state-sponsored armed groups were responsible for 325 killings, accounting for more than half of the total cases recorded.
Minors Among Victims
The report further stated that 108 minors were among those reported missing after alleged enforced disappearances, while 29 minors were among those killed.
Frontier Corps Identified as Alleged Perpetrator
The report identified the Frontier Corps (FC) as the alleged primary perpetrator in the cases documented by HRCB, attributing 897 enforced disappearances and 195 killings to the force.
Crackdown on Civil Liberties
Beyond disappearances and killings, the report highlighted alleged restrictions on peaceful political activity and civil society. It said protesters, journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders faced arbitrary arrests, legal pressure and physical attacks while carrying out their activities.
HRCB also linked the alleged violations to a broader environment marked by military operations, communication blackouts and restrictions on public gatherings. It further alleged that counter-terrorism laws were used to target political and humanitarian activities.
The report called attention to what it described as a worsening environment for civil liberties and accountability in Balochistan, while documenting concerns over the treatment of civilians and those engaged in peaceful dissent. (ANI)