Pakistan: Baloch youth reportedly vanish in security operations
Feb 20, 2026
Balochistan [Pakistan] February 20 : A wave of alleged enforced disappearances involving Baloch youth has surfaced, with at least nineteen individuals reportedly taken into custody across Karachi, Quetta and Gwadar, according to families and activists, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
According to The Balochistan Post, Kashif Baloch, a resident of Kalri in Karachi's Lyari area, was picked up from his home around 2 a.m. on Wednesday. His relatives allege that since the raid, his whereabouts remain unknown. Family members further claimed that Kashif had earlier been detained from his shop in Saddar in July last year and was released after spending several months in custody, only to be allegedly taken again this week. Residents in Lyari stated that police and Sindh Rangers conducted coordinated late-night operations in the Chakiwara, Baghdadi and Kalri neighbourhoods. During these raids, thirteen people were reportedly detained and transferred to undisclosed locations. The identities of all those taken could not be independently verified.
Meanwhile, the rights organisation Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) stated that three additional individuals, Daniyal Nasir, Muhammad Iqbal and Irshad Ali, were detained on 16 February near NCCI Hospital in Karachi. According to the group, the three had travelled to the city for medical treatment but allegedly forcibly disappeared. VBMP further claimed that when families approached the local police station to register an FIR, officers refused to file the complaint and instead subjected them to harassment. VBMP Chairman Nasrullah Baloch condemned the incidents and urged authorities to ensure the safe recovery of the missing men, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post.
In Quetta's Killi Qambarani area, a young man identified as Junaid Ahmed was reportedly taken from his residence during a late-night operation, according to relatives. His family insists he has no involvement in unlawful activities. Separately, in Jiwani, Gwadar district, a 17-year-old student named Abdullah was allegedly detained and moved to an undisclosed location. His family says no official information has been provided regarding his whereabouts, as reported by The Balochistan Post.
