The following is based on a communication written by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and other UN experts to the Government of Pakistan on 13 August 2025. The communication remained confidential for 60 days before being made public, giving the Government time to reply. Regrettably, the Government did not reply within this time frame. If a reply is received it will be posted on the UN Special Procedures communications database.
This is a shorter version of the original communication.
BACKGROUND
Topics: the alleged extra-judicial killings of journalist and human rights defender Abdul Latif Baloch on 24 May 2025 and of his son, Saif Baloch, found dead on 26 March 2025, in Awaran district, Balochistan province in Pakistan, and the targeting of members of Abdul Latif Baloch’s extended family, as well as the arrest of human rights defender Gulzar Dost on 6 July 2025 in Kech district in Balochistan.
Mr. Abdul Latif Baloch worked for many years as a journalist at The Daily Intekhab, an Urdu-language newspaper based in Balochistan, and regularly wrote about human rights violations occurring in the region. This included reporting on alleged enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings and restrictions on freedom of movement due to military operations.
Mr. Gulzar Dost is a coordinator of the human rights forum Kech Civil Society in Kech District, Balochistan. He has a history of documenting and reporting human rights violations in Balochistan, including speaking out about enforced disappearances in the province.
In the past, we have raised numerous concerns about alleged extra-judicial killings and disappearances of human rights defenders and others, particularly in Balochistan, with the Government of Pakistan. Most recently in February, we wrote to the Government (PAK 1/2025) to renew our concerns about the impact of counter-terrorism measures on the Baloch minority and to highlight specific grave concerns, including the alleged arbitrary arrests, acts of violence and mistreatment in detention, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings of Baloch people. We regret that no response to that communication was received.
We have further previously raised concerns about the arrest, arbitrary detention and mistreatment of human rights defenders in Balochistan, most recently on 9 May 2025 (PAK 6/2025, PAK 1/2025 and PAK 6/2024). We regret that no response to these communications was received.
ALLEGATIONS
Abdul Latif Baloch and family
On 24 May 2025 Mr. Abdul Latif Baloch was shot dead in his home in Mashkay town, Awaran district in Balochistan after four unidentified masked and armed men broke into his house at around 4 a.m. He was struck by four bullets. His wife and two daughters were also present at the time of his murder. They were not physically harmed.
Prior to his murder, Mr. Abdul Latif Baloch had been allegedly targeted by the Pakistani security agencies a number of times. In 2016 he was abducted and reportedly tortured by the Pakistani army and Frontier Corps, which had invited him to a military camp in Mashkay, on the pretence of having a story for him to report. He was subsequently detained and subjected to an enforced disappearance. He was released, with injuries, over a year later. He was abducted for a second time by the security forces from Mahwar, Mashkay on 9 March 2018 and released after being held for four days. In the years since, Mr. Baloch regularly received telephone calls and summonses from the military, questioning him on his activities and reporting.
Numerous members of Mr. Baloch’s family have been allegedly detained or killed by the security forces over the past 15 years. These have included Mr. Baloch’s brother, Rashid Ali Baloch, and Mr. Baloch’s son, Saif Baloch. In August 2011, Mr. Rashid Ali Baloch, a political activist affiliated with the Baloch National Movement, was detained as he travelled to Karachi. His body was discovered in Khuzdar district in October 2011 and allegedly showed signs of torture. He had been shot in the head and chest.
On 28 February 2025, Mr. Saif Baloch, was reportedly detained during a raid on the family home in Mashkay, allegedly carried out by the Pakistani security forces. He was reportedly taken to Mashkay Nali Army Camp, where associates went to seek his release. They were allegedly told by an officer at the camp that Saif Baloch was in their custody but would be released. Saif Baloch was subsequently found dead on 26 March 2025.
Gulzar Dost
On 6 July 2025, Mr. Gulzar Dost was reportedly detained at his home in Turbat, Kech District, by plainclothes officers from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD). The arresting officials reportedly did not show a warrant for his arrest, nor did they provide Mr. Dost with information on the charges he was facing. He was held incommunicado for a number of hours before the CTD confirmed that Mr. Dost was in their custody at the CTD Headquarters in Turbat. Charges filed against Mr. Dost include terrorism-related offences. He was reportedly released on bail on 1 August 2025.
A year prior to his arrest and in alleged response to his human rights activism, Mr. Dost had reportedly been placed under the Fourth Schedule in August 2024. In addition, he had been placed under house arrest to prevent him from participating in the civil society-organised Baloch National Gathering in July 2024. The gathering was convened to draw attention to human rights abuses in Balochistan.
CONCERNS
In the communication, we express grave concern at the apparent extra-judicial killing and previous torture of human rights defender Mr. Abdul Latif Baloch. We express further concern at the detention and apparent extra-judicial killing of his son, Saif Baloch, in February/March 2025, and brother, Rashid Ali Baloch, in 2011; as well as at the arrest of Gulzar Dost in July 2025. In addition, we express concern about the reported misuse of administrative measures against human rights defenders, and more specifically against Mr. Dost.
We note with great concern that the killings, enforced disappearances, arrests and detentions described above appear to have been carried out by security forces and taken place in direct retribution for the victims’ exercise of the right to freedom of expression and their human rights defence work.
We would like to remind the Government of Pakistan of its duty to investigate, prosecute, and punish all violations of the right to life. We recall the Government in line with the Principles on Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, in particular principle 9, that there must be thorough, prompt, independent and impartial investigations of all suspected cases of extra-legal, arbitrary and summary executions.
We further recall the absolute and non-derogable nature of the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. This obligation is enshrined, inter alia, in article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, articles 7 and 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and articles 1, 2 and 16 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), which Pakistan ratified on 23 June 2010.
We would also wish to remind the Government that article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, acceded to by Pakistan on 23 June 2010, guarantees the right not to be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention, and that the prohibition of arbitrary detention is absolute.
We take this opportunity to reiterate the concerns expressed in communication AL PAK 1/2025, in which Special Procedures mandate holders raised serious issues regarding, inter alia, the misuse of administrative and legal counter-terrorism measures against Baloch activists and organizations; the adverse impact of such measures on the enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms; the vague and overly broad definition of terrorism under the 1997 Anti-Terrorism Act; and the incompatibility of the listing and delisting procedures under the Fourth Schedule of the Act with international human rights standards.
