Human Rights body calls on UN to address enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings in Balochistan
Jun 02, 2024
Geneva [Switzerland], June 2 : The Baloch Human Rights Council (BHRC) has submitted a written statement to the UN Human Rights Council for its upcoming 56th Session, highlighting the enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of Baloch people in Balochistan by Pakistani state authorities.
The statement, which falls under Agenda Item 3, was submitted through the Centre for Gender Justice and Women Empowerment, a non-governmental organisation with special consultative status at the UN.
Citing data collected by various human rights organizations and verified by the BHRC, the statement reports that 65 individuals were subjected to enforced disappearances in the first quarter of 2024, and 11 individuals were extrajudicially killed by Pakistani security forces.
The statement asserts that these practices not only violate fundamental human rights but also perpetuate a climate of fear and oppression among the Baloch people. Families of the disappeared live in constant agony, uncertain of the fate of their loved ones, and are often denied justice and accountability.
Extrajudicial killings, where individuals are executed without due process, exacerbate the situation, undermining the rule of law and eroding trust in state institutions.
In its statement, the BHRC requested that the UN urge Pakistan to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED) and enact implementing legislation to integrate these treaties into domestic law.
The BHRC also urged Pakistan to reveal the fate and whereabouts of victims of enforced disappearances, engage with the families, and ensure appropriate compensation.
Additionally, the BHRC requested that the UN hold accountable all those involved in or facilitating enforced disappearances in Balochistan and other regions of Pakistan.
