In yet another appalling incident in Pak-occupied-Balochistan, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has killed three previously kidnapped Baloch men by Pak Army under the guise of a staged encounter. This recent event in Musa Khel exemplifies the brutal and systematic tactics employed by Pakistan Army to silence Baloch voices while maintaining a facade of “counter-terrorism operations.”
According to CTD, four individuals were killed in an “encounter” in Musa Khel. However, among the deceased were three individuals known to have been forcibly disappeared weeks before the incident: Muhammad Nawaz Buzdar, Ghulam Buzdar, and Jaffar Mari. Reportedly, Muhammad Nawaz Buzdar, a resident of Barg Pusht in the Rarah Sham area, was forcibly taken by authorities on September 10 from Loralai. Ghulam Buzdar was abducted on September 21 from Buzdar Petrol Pump, and Jaffar Mari was forcibly disappeared on October 2 while shopping in Rarah Sham. Now, they have been “encountered” in an area where they were previously abducted by Pak forces—a disturbing reminder of the brutal and unlawful methods used by the Paki establishment to suppress Baloch voices.
CTD Stages Fake Encounter
The CTD’s use of staged encounters to eliminate forcibly disappeared individuals has become a familiar and chilling tactic across POB, where countless families are left with no news of their loved ones, only to learn later of their supposed deaths in staged operations. The Baloch community has raised its voice against these Army-sanctioned extrajudicial killings, with protests taking place repeatedly, yet their pleas fall on deaf ears in Islamabad. Despite frequent questions raised in Pakistan’s national and provincial assemblies, the authorities has failed to hold the CTD and Pak Army accountable for these atrocities.
Last year, a similar case occurred when a young Baloch man in custody was killed in a staged encounter by the CTD in Turbat. The incident sparked a series of protests, culminating in a long march led by Dr. Mahrang Baloch from Quetta to Islamabad, demanding justice and accountability. Yet, the Paki establishment continues its ruthless campaign, effectively targeting the Baloch population with impunity, all while silencing anyone who dares to challenge their actions.
The CTD and Pakistan Army’s tactics are more than mere acts of repression—they represent a targeted campaign to dismantle the social and political fabric of POB. These “encounters” are not isolated mistakes but intentional, systematic attempts to break the Baloch people, treating them as enemies within their own land. Such actions reveal the true face of the Paki establishment’s approach to POB: one of occupation, oppression, and extermination.