Two women 'detained' in late-night raid in Balochistan's Hub Chowki

Two women, Hairnisa Wahid and Hani, were allegedly detained in a late-night raid in Balochistan's Hub Chowki by security forces. Their family has no information on their whereabouts, adding to concerns over enforced disappearances of Baloch women.

Two women from the same family were allegedly detained and taken to an undisclosed location during a late-night raid in Balochistan's Hub Chowki, The Balochistan Post reported. According to the report, the family members said personnel from the Frontier Corps (FC), the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), and intelligence agencies raided a residence around 3 am on Saturday in the Ganjhi Ghot Daroo Hotel area. The women were identified as 17-year-old Hairnisa Wahid and her 27-year-old relative, Hani.

Relatives told The Balochistan Post that they have received no information regarding where the women were taken, leaving the family in severe distress. As noted by The Balochistan Post, the incident comes amid increasing concern over multiple reported cases of enforced disappearances of Baloch women in recent months.

Recent Cases of Enforced Disappearances

The outlet reported that on 18 December, CTD personnel allegedly conducted another raid in the Daroo Hotel area of Zehri Ghot, Hub Chowki, detaining a woman named Hazra along with her two-year-old son, Brahmdag. Their whereabouts, the Balochistan Post said, remain unknown.

Earlier this month, on December 1, The Balochistan Post reported that a woman identified as Farzana Zehri was allegedly forcibly disappeared by security personnel while returning from a hospital in Khuzdar. In a separate case cited by The Balochistan Post, another woman, Raheema, was detained along with her brother in Dalbandin and has not been seen since.

The Balochistan Post further reported that on 22 November, a 15-year-old girl, Nasreen (also known as Nasreena) Baloch, was allegedly taken by FC personnel and unidentified armed men during a night raid in the same Hub Chowki area. Her family told The Balochistan Post that approximately 15 armed individuals entered their home, damaged household belongings, confined relatives to a room, and took the girl away. She has not been presented before any legal authority.

A Deep-Rooted Human Rights Crisis

Balochistan has been a hotspot for enforced disappearances for decades, reflecting a deep-rooted human rights crisis in the region. Many individuals, including activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens, have reportedly been taken into custody by security forces or intelligence agencies and never returned. Families often have no information about the fate or location of their loved ones, creating fear, uncertainty, and trauma in local communities. (ANI)

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