Balochistan Rights Body Alleges Pakistani Army Killed Farmer at Checkpoint; Judge Reported Missing

A 28-year-old Baloch farmer was allegedly killed by Pakistani Army personnel in Balochistan, while a senior judicial officer has reportedly gone missing during travel in the province, according to human rights organisations.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), a human rights body, said on Friday that Yasin Baloch was killed on October 5 near the Kor Nali Patek area of Dalbandin. The incident comes amid broader concerns raised by rights groups over reported extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in Balochistan.

According to the BYC, army personnel opened fire on Yasin as he passed through a checkpoint, killing him and injuring his colleague, Sami.

The organisation said Yasin was his parents’ only son and the sole breadwinner for his family. Both his parents had died, leaving him responsible for supporting his sisters.

“Yasin was his parents’ only son. Both of his parents had already passed away, and Yasin was the sole breadwinner of the family. He was carrying the responsibility for his sisters when army personnel opened fire on him while he was passing through a checkpoint. His colleague, Sami, was also injured in the firing. Yasin was the only hope for his sisters. He was the person his family depended on for survival. His killing left two sisters without the brother who carried the responsibility of their home,” the BYC stated.

The rights body expressed concern over the alleged use of force against civilians in areas controlled by security personnel.

“The continued use of force against civilians shows the worsening situation in Balochistan, where people face violence even while moving through areas controlled by security forces. Checkpoints are meant to be a security measure, but for Baloch families they have become places where people are humiliated, harassed, and killed. The unchecked use of military power has created an environment in which no Baloch can feel safe in their own home and land,” it added.

The BYC urged the international human rights community to take notice of the reported violence, demand an independent investigation and hold Pakistan accountable for what it described as genocide in the province.

Separately, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Friday expressed grave concern over the reported disappearance of Additional Sessions Judge Asadullah Raisani while he was travelling from Quetta to Panjgur district.

Citing family sources, the HRCP said Raisani left Quetta on October 6, but contact with him was lost while he was passing through the Surab region of Balochistan.

The rights commission called on the authorities to establish his whereabouts and keep his family informed of developments.

“We call on the authorities to ascertain his whereabouts and keep his family informed of all developments. Given the serious security situation in Balochistan, the authorities must treat the reported disappearance as a matter of utmost urgency and take all necessary measures to locate Justice Raisani safely,” the HRCP said in a post on X.

The two incidents have drawn renewed attention to security and human rights concerns in Balochistan, with rights organisations calling for investigations into the reported killing and urgent efforts to locate the missing judicial officer.