Balochistan faces a growing human rights crisis as women and students are paying the price, yet activists and media remain silent. An overlooked reality.
Balochistan’s human rights crisis continues to deepen — yet it remains one of the most underreported issues in Pakistan. What is even more concerning is the silence of human rights organisations and the absence of consistent media coverage. This silence has allowed banned organisations to exploit vulnerable groups, manipulate young minds, and violate the basic rights of ordinary Baloch citizens.
Women are a target — A New and Disturbing Pattern
A troubling development has emerged in recent years: the use of Baloch women in suicide attacks. Since 2022, five women have been deployed in such incidents. One survivor, Adeelah Baloch, broke her silence and revealed how women were emotionally manipulated, blackmailed, and pushed into carrying out suicide missions.
The case of Shari Baloch, a mother of two, remains one of the most tragic examples. Her husband, a member of the BLA, reportedly pressured her into the attack. Recently, another woman, Zareena Rafiq, was used in a suicide bombing at the FC Headquarters in Nokundi.
These women were deprived of their basic right to life — yet there has been no significant outcry from national or international human rights organisations.
Young Students Are Also Targets of Manipulation
The crisis does not end with women. Students remain particularly vulnerable.
Take the example of Sufyan Kurd, an MT Lahore student who was reportedly influenced by banned youth groups like BSO-Azad and BYC on social media. His journey into militancy ended in a deadly confrontation with security forces.
The problem runs deeper when educational institutions themselves become breeding grounds for manipulation. A professor at BUITEMS was found facilitating militant organisations, tasked with indoctrinating students and handing them over to the BLA for use in violent activities.
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Those Who Resist Are Silenced
Young Baloch men who refuse to join these outlawed organisations face severe repercussions. Many are abducted, killed, and falsely labelled as “informers” or members of “death squads.” Their right to live, study, and work in peace is systematically taken away.
This dimension of rights abuse rarely makes it to mainstream media or human rights reports — yet it is an everyday reality for many families in Balochistan.
The Human Rights Narrative Has Been Hijacked
Ironically, while Baloch citizens suffer, leaders of banned groups hold comfortable lives abroad and advocate for “rights” of their militants.
On Human Rights Day, BLA commander Hyrbyair Marri held a conference in Germany demanding rights for BLA members — the same militants responsible for violence against the Baloch people themselves.
Similarly, the Baloch National Movement (BNM), led by Dr. Naseem Baloch, operates in Europe while enjoying privileges that many Europeans cannot imagine. Meanwhile, BNM actively violates the rights of young Baloch students.
Scholarship Students Misled Abroad
Another overlooked trend is how Baloch students studying abroad on HEC or international scholarships are targeted by such groups. Instead of focusing on their education, many are encouraged to pursue political asylum by spreading exaggerated narratives about Balochistan.
These students — who leave home to build a better future — are used as political instruments rather than supported in their academic pursuits.
A Crisis That Deserves Honest Attention
If activists, media platforms, and international human rights organisations truly believe in universal rights, then the suffering of ordinary Baloch people should not be ignored.
Women coerced into suicide missions, students manipulated into militancy or asylum scams, and families torn apart by targeted killings — these are not abstract issues.
They represent a human rights crisis that deserves honest discussion and consistent attention.
Balochistan’s people are caught between violence, silence, and exploitation.
Recognising their struggle is the first step toward meaningful accountability.
Fazal Baloch is a Quetta-based researcher focusing on terrorism, violent extremism, and counter-terrorism dynamics in Pakistan.
