Pakistan forces slammed for forcibly displacing entire population of Balochistan village

Quetta, July 31 (IANS) A leading Baloch human rights organisation on Thursday severely condemned the "egregious human rights violations" committed by the Pakistani security forces against the residents of Noora Mohammad Hassani village in Awaran District of Balochistan.

Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, mentioned that these violations, including "forced displacement, arbitrary detentions, and the systemic denial of fundamental rights", reflect a pattern of state-sponsored oppression that demands immediate international attention and accountability.

"Paank has received verified reports that on July 24 and 25, Pakistani security forces forcibly displaced the entire population of Noora Mohammad Hassani village, compelling residents to abandon their ancestral homes under duress. This mass eviction follows a disturbing precedent established in 2020, when security forces allegedly detained both male and female residents, subjected men to severe physical violence at the Bugari Zeelag military camp, and subsequently released them," read a statement issued by the human rights body.

"These individuals and their families have been forcibly uprooted, exacerbating their vulnerability amid soaring inflation and acute food insecurity. The evictions have left them without shelter or sustainable livelihoods, compounding the socioeconomic challenges they already face," the statement added.

Raising concern, the rights body stated that the situation in Noora Mohammad Hassani is indicative of a broader pattern of human rights abuses in Balochistan, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial detentions, and excessive use of force by Pakistani security personnel.

"The forced displacement of Nora Mohammad Hassani's residents, coupled with the systemic denial of their rights to education, water, and security, constitutes a profound violation of international human rights law," Paank further stated.

The human rights body expressed its unwavering solidarity with the affected community and called on the international community to hold Pakistani authorities accountable for these injustices. It stated that the resilience of Noora Mohammad Hassani's residents in the face of relentless adversity must be met with global action to restore their dignity, rights, and access to justice.

Highlighting another incident of enforced disappearance in the province, Paank revealed that Kashif Yaqoob, a Baloch youth and the sole breadwinner for his family, was forcibly detained by personnel of the Pakistani security forces from Saddar, Karachi, on July 29. Since then, he has been shifted to an unknown location without even disclosing it to his family members, and he has not been produced before a formal court of law.

The organisation's 'Balochistan human rights report – June 2025', highlighted the alarming human rights violations taking place in Balochistan, particularly enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. The documented cases point to a clear pattern of state repression, where individuals are detained without cause and, in many instances, unlawfully killed by Pakistani forces.

It stated that repeated use of enforced disappearances followed by extrajudicial killings by Pakistani forces has become a hallmark of state policy in Balochistan. It stated that victims are often taken without any legal process and later found dead, bearing signs of torture.

--IANS

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