Fahad Lehri’s Killing Sparks Outrage, Highlights Pakistan’s Enforced Disappearance Crisis in Balochistan

May 15, 2025: A fresh wave of grief and anger has gripped Balochistan following the grim discovery of Fahad Lehri’s body on May 14, 2025—ten days after the young student was forcibly abducted from Mastung. Found with bullet wounds and dumped in the same region where he was taken, Fahad’s death is the latest in a disturbing pattern of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in Pakistan’s restive province.

Rights group Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) condemned the killing, calling it part of a systemic “kill-and-dump policy” aimed at silencing dissent in Balochistan. “He was not produced before a court, there was no warrant, no legal process—only execution without justice. His only crime was being Baloch,” a BYC spokesperson stated.

Enforced disappearances have become a haunting reality in Balochistan, where students, writers, activists, and workers live under constant threat of being abducted by state security forces. Many are detained without any judicial oversight, tortured in undisclosed locations, and, as in Fahad’s case, eventually found dead or never seen again.

“This is not law enforcement. This is cold-blooded murder,” the BYC added. “We reject this system where lives are discarded without trial and voices are buried in silence.”

Fahad Lehri’s murder has reignited calls for justice and accountability in a region long plagued by state-led oppression. Despite numerous reports by rights organizations and growing concern from international observers, the Pakistani state continues to act with impunity, shielding its security agencies from scrutiny. A media blackout and lack of global attention further embolden such atrocities.

For Fahad’s family and the wider Baloch community, his death is not just personal loss—it is a rallying cry. Across Balochistan, protests and vigils have emerged, demanding an end to the cycle of violence and enforced disappearances.

“We will remember Fahad. We will say his name,” said a BYC statement. “Bullets can bury bodies, but not the truth.”

The ongoing practice of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings remains one of Pakistan’s gravest human rights violations, especially in Balochistan. Those targeted are often taken without charge, held in secret detention, tortured, and executed—all under the guise of national security and anti-terrorism operations.

Despite international appeals for transparency and justice, state-led repression in Balochistan continues unchecked, leaving families shattered and an entire region living in fear.