Turbat raids underscore ongoing crisis of disappearances in Balochistan

Turbat [Pakistan], June 7 : At least 15 of the 18 individuals who were reportedly abducted by Pakistani security forces in a pre-dawn raid in Turbat have been released, as per The Balochistan Post.
However, three detainees remain missing, sparking renewed concerns over enforced disappearances in the restive region.
According to The Balochistan Post, the incident took place in the early hours of June 5, when Pakistani military personnel raided homes in the Koshk Malikabad area of Turbat, located in Kech district. Among those taken were Hammal Imam Bakhsh and Hamid Mahmood. Sources report that the 18 individuals were seized from a single home and surrounding residences without any formal warrants or charges.
Family members stated that 15 of the abductees were released around 4:00 PM on Thursday after reportedly providing personal surety. However, the fate of Hammal Imam, Hamid Mahmood, and one unidentified resident from Panjgur remains unknown.
In a related development, eight more forcibly disappeared individuals have also returned home in separate incidents across Balochistan. The Balochistan Post reports that five persons from Turbat tehsil, including Daad (son of Abdul Hakeem) and Sadiq (son of Wajdad), both from Panjgur, were released. Others freed include Sajid (son of Yar Muhammad), Akhtar (son of Quraish), and Nizam Fateh (son of Fateh Muhammad), all residents of Kech district.
Earlier, families of the Panjgur detainees staged a protest sit-in on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) highway near Balgatar, demanding their safe return.
Additionally, in Barkhan district, three men, Ghulam Fareed, Abdullah, and Tahir, who had been missing for four months, reportedly reappeared this week. Their detention circumstances remain unacknowledged by authorities.
Despite the releases, no official statements have been issued regarding the reasons for the arrests or the legal status of those still in custody. Human rights groups continue to raise alarm over the opaque and arbitrary nature of such operations.