The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation, rampant human rights abuses and ongoing political dysfunction in Balochistan on Friday. The commission highlighted a continued pattern of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, citing an alarming lack of government action in holding the perpetrators accountable.

Additionally, the HRCP brought attention to severe restrictions to freedom of expression and assembly in the province. The organization stated that journalists are facing intimidation from separatist groups, security forces, and tribal leaders which makes “journalists reluctant to speak out about press restrictions due to fears of retaliation.”

Regarding the present situation in Balochistan, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a statement at the end of July urging the Pakistani government to exercise restraint in managing ongoing unrest. HRW criticized the arrest of peaceful protesters and the blockage of internet access and emphasized the need for accountability.

In 2018 HRW reported that Baloch Separatist militants conducted several attacks on schools, teachers and students in the province.

Balochistan has been in a tumultuous state for almost two decades, beginning under military leader Pervez Musharraf. The situation intensified following the alleged rape of a female doctor by an army captain in 2005 that provoked attacks by the Bugti clan on military camps. Following the killing of influential tribal leader Nawab Akbar Bugti in 2006, tensions were further inflamed and still persist today.

According to a report of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in 2013, the continuously brutal response by Pakistani security forces since 2005 has fueled ethnic and sectarian violence in Balochistan, radicalizing nationalist groups that once sought political autonomy within the federal system. According to the think tank, such violence underscores the failure of military tactics, making a negotiated political solution centered on granting greater autonomy to Balochistan the most viable path to restoring stability.

Covering almost half of Pakistan’s land area, Balochistan became part of the country following Pakistani independence in 1947. The region initially declared independence before it was forcibly annexed in 1948, leading to the first wave of Baloch resistance. At its early states, the Baloch resistance set the stage for three waves of insurgency between 1958 and 1977, with Baloch nationalists aiming for independence or greater autonomy. Each wave was met with a severe response from Islamabad, including military interventions, the arresting of key tribal leaders and the dismissal of elected provincial governments.