According to a report by the Balochistan Post, three individuals were forcibly disappeared in the districts of Nushki and Gwadar in Balochistan by Pakistani security personnel.

The area has been rocked by huge demonstrations against extrajudicial executions and disappearances for weeks, which coincide with these instances.

Local sources told the Balochistan Post that in Nushki, Pakistani soldiers arrested Shakeel, son of Abdul Latif, and Riaz, son of Niaz Muhammad, as part of a coordinated operation including intelligence officers dressed in civilian clothes. Fears for their safety have been heightened by the fact that both men, who were originally from Qaziabad and Qadirabad, were abducted without cause and that their locations are still unknown.

Authorities also allegedly apprehended Hammal Baloch, a Dasht native, Thursday night in the coastal city of Gwadar. Similar to other impacted families in the area, his family has expressed fear at his abrupt abduction and called for his prompt release, according to the Balochistan Post.

The larger protest wave that is sweeping Balochistan has made these latest disappearances a focal topic. In an effort to draw attention to the increasing number of extrajudicial executions and the systemic violations of rights in the area, families of the missing have been staging sit-ins and blocking key routes.

The relatives of Naveed Hameed and Zareef Umar have been protesting in the Kech area, claiming that their loved ones were killed by Pakistani soldiers. Following weeks of demonstrations in Turbat, they recently shifted their demonstration to the M8 Highway at D-Baloch point, putting further pressure on the authorities.

For more than a week, the relatives of Zaman Jan and Abul Hassan, who are said to have been forcefully abducted in December, have been obstructing the CPEC roadway near Hoshap Zero Point. According to the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), the guys were detained on suspicion of having ties to the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF). According to the Balochistan Post, their relatives, however, deny these charges as untrue and maintain that the detentions are a part of a larger pattern of mistreatment.

Regarding the most recent disappearances and the demonstrators’ demands, Pakistani authorities have not issued an official statement as the rallies gain momentum.