The families of Abdul Lateef Bangulzai, Nooruddin Bangulzai, and Faheem Bangulzai have blocked the Quetta to Karachi highway near the Mastung Nawab Hotel, demanding the safe return of their loved ones who have been victims of enforced disappearances.

Abdul Lateef, son of Safar Khan, was forcibly disappeared on June 16, 2023 at an Isplinji Frontier Corps checkpoint while riding a motorcycle to attend a wedding. Nooruddin Bangulzai was forcibly disappeared on July 25, 2013, and his whereabouts have remained unknown since then. Faheem Bangulzai was forcibly disappeared on December 6, 2023.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee, an organisation involved in Baloch rights advocacy, has urged people from Mastung and nearby areas to support the families and speak out against the rise of enforced disappearances in the region.

Sadly, enforced disappearances have become increasingly common in Pakistan-occupied Balochistan, which has long suffered under Islamabad’s control since 1948. Despite the region’s rich resources, Balochistan has faced neglect and oppression from the Pak establishment.

In an effort to maintain power over Balochistan, the Pak Army has resorted to brutal tactics like enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the abduction of Baloch youth and students. They are supporting the notorious death squads in the region.

Former Provincial Minister of Information Jan Muhammad Achakzai issued a threat through his social media post showcasing the true nature of the people in power. In retaliation to the recent deaths, he issued a threat to send the bodies of Baloch students studying in Punjab and those of Baloch residents in Punjab to Pak-occupied-Balochistan.

On his official “X” Twitter handle, he wrote a long threatening message to a Baloch user, stating that if the bodies of Punjabis are sent to Pak-occupied-Balochistan, the bodies of Baloch individuals will also be sent from Punjab. There are numerous Baloch students studying in Lahore, the capital of Punjab, and one crore Baloch people have been residing in southern Punjab for decades.

Later, after realizing that he had instigated the Baloch students through his hateful comment, Achakzai later deleted the tweet. However, the Baloch students and residents living in Punjab and Islamabad have been advised to remain cautious.

Baloch journalist Kiyya Baloch, based in Norway, tweeted that “the real threat to Balochistan is from people like him.”

Human rights activist and lawyer Imaan Mazari said that “it is very alarming that a former provincial minister of Pakistan is threatening the Baloch people with ethnic cleansing on social media.”

Mazari added that “instead of dealing with freedom fighters, these individuals are threatening innocent Baloch students throughout the country, which clearly demonstrates their intentions for ethnic cleansing.”

It is noteworthy that Jan Achakzai is known to be extremely close and supported by the Pak military, having been appointed as the provincial minister of Balochistan on the Army’s recommendation. He has a history of making controversial statements against missing persons.

Abdullah Abbas, the General Secretary of the Human Rights Council of Balochistan, described the former minister’s threats of “genocide Baloch people and target Baloch students in Punjab” as “extremely alarming” and indicative of “a worrying level of hatred” for the Baloch people.

Pak-occupied Balochistan has long suffered under the unlawful control of Pakistan, dating back to 1948. Despite being rich in resources, the region has been neglected by the Pak “establishment”.

In its efforts to maintain control over Pak-occupied Balochistan, the Pak Army has resorted to various oppressive tactics. These include enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the abduction of students. Additionally, reports suggest Pakistan’s support for death squads, further exacerbating the situation.

Amir Sarfaraz Tamba, a key suspect in the murder case of Sarabjit Singh and a known associate of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed, was fatally shot by unidentified assailants in a targeted attack in Lahore on Sunday.

Tamba was ambushed by assailants riding a motorcycle near his residence in Lahore. According to reports, he sustained gunshot wounds to the chest and legs during the attack. In December 2018, a Pakistani court acquitted Tamba and another prime suspect, Mudassar, in the Sarabjit Singh murder case, citing insufficient evidence against them.

The Lahore sessions court’s verdict came after all witnesses turned hostile, leading to the acquittal of both suspects due to lack of evidence.In response to Tamba’s death, Swapandeep Kaur, daughter of Sarabjit Singh, alleged Pakistan’s involvement in his assassination. She expressed her belief that the Pakistani government orchestrated Tamba’s killing to conceal secrets he may have possessed. Kaur accused Pakistan of being complicit in her father’s death and claimed that the assassination was part of a cover-up conspiracy.

Kaur emphasized that her family seeks justice and a trial to uncover the motives behind her father’s murder. Reports suggest that Tamba was also associated with terrorist Hafiz Saeed, notorious for his role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Kaur’s reaction suggests a suspicion of a new policy by Pakistan, wherein it eliminates its terrorist proxies, possibly to evade future exposures and to create a narrative that could implicate India in alleged extrajudicial killings in Pakistan. This suspicion aligns with recent propaganda pieces by The Guardian, based on purported statements from ISI sources, aimed at accusing India of orchestrating such killings.

Heavy rain wreaked havoc in Pasni city on Sunday. Water has entered various areas of Pasni, in Pak-occupied Balochistan streets, markets, and houses. There are reports of houses collapsing. Earlier in March, heavy rains did not spare Gwadar, prompting residents and organizations to hold Pakistan and Chinese projects accountable.

Infrastructural projects that Pak Army has carried along with China has led to the inundation of the city and heightening tensions among the affected population. Not only is the infrastructure in shambles but the lives of innocent Baloch community members have been uprooted entirely.

Meanwhile, across the border in Afghanistan, the toll from adverse weather conditions has been equally grim. Recent snowfall, rain, and subsequent flooding have claimed the lives of at least 33 people, with an additional 27 reported injured. Flash floods have ravaged communities, leaving 606 homes either partially or destroyed.

“According to preliminary statistics, unfortunately, thirty-three people have died and twenty-seven others have been injured due to the recent floods. Similarly, 606 homes have been either partially or destroyed,” said Janan Saiq, spokesperson for the Taliban-controlled State Ministry of Disaster Management.

Saiq further stated that the provinces of Farah, Herat, Zabul, and Kandahar suffered excessive losses.

“The majority of the casualties were in the provinces of Farah, Herat, Zabul, and Kandahar, with most victims coming from Kandahar province,” he said.

Both Pak-occupied Balochistan and Afghanistan are among the most vulnerable countries to natural disasters, including floods, earthquakes, avalanches, landslides, and droughts.