May 5, 2025: Paank, the human rights wing of the Baloch National Movement, has strongly condemned the extrajudicial killing of Rajid Baloch, allegedly carried out by operatives linked to a state-backed death squad on May 2, 2025. The incident occurred near the Druski River, just a few kilometers from Awaran city in Balochistan—a region heavily militarised and plagued by ongoing human rights abuses.
According to a statement shared by Paank on X (formerly Twitter), Rajid Baloch, a resident of Siyakal Malar and a shopkeeper by profession, was targeted while returning home from Kolwah. His companion, Naeem (son of Urz Muhammad), was reportedly beaten and later released. The attack took place in close proximity to major military installations, including an army camp to the east and the large Choku camp to the north.
Despite the overwhelming military presence in the region, local civilians live in constant fear, often refraining from even basic self-protection due to the threat of retaliation. The area is reportedly rife with incidents of looting, intimidation, and killings committed by armed individuals allegedly operating under the protection of the military.
Paank stressed that Rajid’s killing fits a disturbing pattern of extrajudicial executions targeting individuals who had previously been subjected to enforced disappearances. These repeated acts raise serious concerns about systematic and deliberate human rights violations in Balochistan.
Calling on the international community to act, Paank urged Human Rights Watch, the United Nations, and other global human rights institutions to:
- Demand an independent and transparent investigation into the murder of Rajid Baloch.
- Hold accountable all perpetrators, including those in command positions.
- Ensure justice and provide reparations to the victim’s family.
- Intervene to halt what it describes as an ongoing genocide and campaign of repression against the Baloch people.
“The silence of the international community only emboldens impunity,” Paank declared. “Justice delayed is justice denied—not just for Rajid Baloch, but for an entire persecuted population.”