Pakistan: Paank condemns extrajudicial killing of Baloch man, calls for investigation - World News Network

Balochistan [Pakistan], May 5 (ANI): Paank, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement, has firmly denounced the extrajudicial execution of Rajid Baloch carried out by operatives of a state-supported death squad on May 2, 2025, near Druski River, just a few kilometres away from Awaran city in Balochistan.
A post shared by Paank on X revealed that Rajid Baloch, a resident of Siyakal Malar, was killed while his friend, Naeem, was brutally beaten and subsequently released. The area around the Druski River is located near several military facilities, including an army camp to the east and the significant Choku camp to the north.
Despite the extensive militarisation of the area, the civilian residents live in constant fear, avoiding even basic self-defence measures. There are ongoing reports of armed members, protected by the military, looting property and threatening or murdering civilians who oppose them, as mentioned in the post on X.
Rajid Baloch, who worked as a shopkeeper, was attacked while returning home to Siyakal Malar after a trip from Kolwah to Awaran. His killing is part of a growing trend of murders targeting individuals who had previously disappeared, raising pressing concerns regarding systematic human rights violations in Balochistan, according to the post.
Paank called on Human Rights Watch, and all other international human rights organisations to demand an independent and transparent inquiry into the assassination of Rajid Baloch and to take action against those responsible for it.
In a post on X, Paank stated, “Paank Condemns Extrajudicial Killing of Rajid Baloch and Calls for Immediate Justice Paank strongly condemns the extrajudicial killing of Rajid Baloch, son of Allah Dad and resident of Siyakal Malar, by state-backed death squad operatives on May 2, 2025, near the Druski River, a few kilometers from Awaran city, Balochistan. According to eyewitness accounts, Rajid Baloch was killed while his companion, Naeem (son of Urz Muhammad), was severely beaten and later released. The Druski River area lies within proximity to multiple military installations, including an army camp to the east and the large Choku camp to the north. Despite the heavy militarization of the region, the civilian population lives in fear, refraining even from keeping basic means of self-defense.”
“Reports continue to surface of armed operatives, under military protection, looting valuables and threatening or killing civilians who resist. Rajid Baloch, a shopkeeper by profession, was targeted while returning home to Siyakal Malar after travelling from Kolwah to Awaran. His murder is part of an escalating pattern of killings targeting previously disappeared persons, raising urgent concerns over systematic violations of human rights in Balochistan. *Paank* urgently appeals to UN, Human Rights Watch, and all other international human rights organizations to: 1. Call on the Government of Pakistan to conduct an independent and transparent investigation into the murder of Rajid Baloch. 2. Identify and prosecute the perpetrators, including those in positions of command responsibility. 3. Ensure justice and reparations for the family of Rajid Baloch. 4. Intervene to stop the ongoing genocide and suppression of the Baloch people. The silence of the international community only emboldens impunity. Justice delayed is justice denied, not just for Rajid Baloch, but for an entire persecuted population,” it added. (ANI)

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