Pakistani Authorities Accused of Coercion Over Alleged Disappearance of Baloch Activist's Brother

Balochistan [Pakistan], May 9 (ANI): A member of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), Fauzia Baloch, has accused Pakistani authorities of attempting to coerce her into leaving the organisation by linking the alleged disappearance of her brother to her political activism, as reported by The Balochistan Post. According to The Balochistan Post, speaking at a press conference alongside her mother at their residence in Karachi, Fauzia Baloch said her brother, Dad Shashani Baloch, was allegedly taken away by Pakistani security personnel during a late-night raid on April 21, 2026. She claimed that nearly two dozen armed men in civilian clothes, accompanied by police vehicles and private cars, stormed the house and violently detained him. Fauzia alleged that officials linked to Pakistan's Counter Terrorism Department and intelligence agencies participated in the operation. She further stated that the family was prevented from filming the incident and threatened when they attempted to document the raid. According to her account, the authorities neither produced an arrest warrant nor disclosed any legal grounds for the detention. The family also accused local police of obstructing efforts to file a formal complaint. Fauzia said officers initially asked them to wait for 24 hours before reporting the disappearance, while an application later submitted at Maripur police station allegedly went unregistered. Police reportedly advised the family to lodge a complaint against "unknown persons," despite the family insisting that official vehicles and uniformed personnel were clearly involved. Fauzia Baloch further alleged that her brother had previously endured enforced disappearance and torture, while the family had repeatedly faced intimidation because of her association with the BYC. She also accused Karachi police of disrupting a planned press conference at the Karachi Press Club and detaining several family members, including her mother, during their return journey, as highlighted by The Balochistan Post. Fauzia claimed intermediaries conveyed messages suggesting her brother could be released if she resigned from the BYC. Pakistani authorities have not publicly responded to the allegations, though officials have previously denied involvement in unlawful detentions. Human rights groups have long raised concerns over enforced disappearances and alleged intimidation of Baloch activists in Pakistan, as reported by The Balochistan Post. (ANI)