ANI |
Updated: May 15, 2025 15:58 IST
Balochistan, Pakistan - A profound wave of grief and outrage has engulfed Balochistan following the tragic discovery of the body of Fahad Lehri on May 14, 2025. This grim event comes a full ten days after the young student was forcibly disappeared from the town of Mastung. His lifeless body, riddled with bullets, was found abandoned in the very region where he was abducted, bringing to light the harrowing realities of Pakistan's ongoing and systematic campaign of violence often referred to as the "kill-and-dump" policy in Balochistan.

According to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), Fahad's horrifying murder is not an isolated incident. Rather, it is emblematic of a broader, insidious campaign aimed at silencing the voices of the Baloch people. A spokesperson from the BYC emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, "He was not presented in court. There was no arrest warrant issued, no legal process followed, and no trial conducted. His only crime was being Baloch." This chilling statement underscores the precarious lives of those in the region, especially students and activists.

Enforced disappearances have tragically become a grim part of daily life in Balochistan. Individuals including students, artists, political activists, and laborers live under the constant threat of abduction. Fahad now joins the ranks of hundreds of others who have been stealthily taken, tortured, and executed, their lives snuffed out without any semblance of justice, leaving their families engulfed in sorrow and fear.

In a powerful condemnation of the state’s actions, the BYC stated, "This is not law enforcement; it is cold-blooded murder. We reject this system of oppression where lives are discarded and voices silenced." Despite increasing international outcry over the escalating human rights violations in the region, the Pakistani government continues to operate with a disturbing sense of impunity. This is facilitated further by a prevailing media blackout and a disconcerting silence from the global community.

The extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, often conducted under the pretext of national security, represent severe human rights violations that can be classified as war crimes, hidden behind closed borders and a veil of state secrecy. However, the resilience of the Baloch people remains unbroken. As Fahad's grieving family mourns their loss, communities throughout the region are coming together in a powerful show of resistance. The BYC concluded their statement with a resolute declaration: "We will remember Fahad. We will say his name. Bullets may bury bodies, but they cannot bury truth."

Enforced disappearances and abductions are rampant in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, where they represent widespread human rights abuses. Security agencies frequently detain activists, students, and political dissidents without formal charges, legal representation, or any judicial oversight. These covert operations leave families in despair, stripped of any information about their loved ones’ fates or whereabouts. Victims of these detentions often endure unlawful confinement, brutal torture, and in many instances, extrajudicial executions, all rationalized under the pretext of national security or anti-terrorism initiatives. Despite the mounting international criticism directed at these practices, there is little indication that accountability will be pursued any time soon.