Has Pakistan unleashed ‘death squad’ on Balochistan? Activist questions killing of Baloch campaigner

On the doomed morning of June 30, the family of Zeeshan Zaheer found the dead body of the Baloch activist, a day after he was allegedly abducted by a state-backed “death squad”. The young man, Zeeshan Ahmed who changed his name to Zeeshan Zaheer, after his father disappeared when he was 11, and was demanding the release of his father while waiting for admission in a university. It was at this juncture, he was swept away by the notorious Pakistani security nexus.

Zeeshan’s father Zaheer Ahmed was abducted by Pakistan’s Frontier Corps in 2015, while his sister Adeeba was a newborn. Local media reports said Zeeshan went missing on June 29, and his body was recovered the next day.

In a conversation with Firstpost, a prominent Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) activist, who requested anonymity citing security concerns, shared details about the case and alleged that Pakistani state-backed “death squads” have taken over Balochistan.

A son’s search for his father ends on a bad note

The BYC activist told Firstpost that Zeeshan, along with his sister Adeeba, was a prominent Baloch activist. They were campaigning for the peaceful release of their father. “They were raising their voices, joining protests and taking part in every single rally. Zeeshan was an active part of the Long March that was carried out in November 2023 against four disappearances. During March, he was assaulted and became a target of violence,” the Baloch activist told Firstpost.

The BYC member detailed what happened the day he was abducted. “He has been vocal about all types of enforced disappearances every day. A few days ago, Zeeshan was coming from a football match, where he played as the goalkeeper. After the match, he was on his way home when, in the middle, state-backed death squads, a private militia of the state, came in a black vehicle, with dark-tinted glasses, abducted Zeeshan,” she said.

Soon after the news reached Zeeshan’s family, they started protesting on the highway and blocking any kind of transportation, the BYC activist told Firstpost. “Unfortunately, the next morning, they were called by the police, and Zeeshan’s family found his body filled with bullets near their house,” the Baloch activist said.

The horrors of ‘Death Squads’ in Balochistan

During the conversation with Firstpost, the Baloch activist spoke about the rise of state-backed death squads in the region. “In Balochistan, the state is not only using security forces and police to kill and intimidate people, but they are also using illegal ways by supporting private militias and villains of the society to do the same,” the activist said.

“These villains get money and every resource they need from the state, and they can pick up anyone, they can kill anyone. So, this way, the state avoids criticisms.”

“Before this, the state itself was using the methods of the death squad. The people who are part of these squads are Baloch people, they are actually from our society, but they are like villains, they are like serious killers, so such people need to be in prison,” she said.

The Baloch activist maintained that these “death squad” members are open to “kidnap anyone, they can kill anyone, they can, if they like a woman, they can abduct a woman, they can do anything they want, they rape anyone, no police or institution can take actions against them”.

“They are the favourite people of ISI, they have been committing a lot of war crimes for 15-20 years. They also state find it convenient because they don’t need to do so much, no need to pay a lot.”

The BYC activist said these death squad members have engaged in smuggling drugs and other illegal activities. Zeeshan is one of many Baloch civilians who have lost their lives at the hands of these death squads, the activist said.