Quetta Lawyer Detained by Security Agencies

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A young lawyer from Balochistan has reportedly been detained by Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and intelligence agencies, raising concerns among human rights organisations and legal professionals.

According to a statement released on Thursday by Paank, the Human Rights Department of the Baloch National Movement, Advocate Hakeem Baloch was taken from his residence on Brewery Road in Quetta in the early hours of the morning. The group claims that he was apprehended in front of his family without a warrant or formal charges, and that his current whereabouts remain unknown.

Human rights group Baloch Voice for Justice has also condemned the incident, describing it as another case of enforced disappearance. The organisation noted that the abduction of a young legal professional underscores ongoing concerns about the safety of educated individuals and rights advocates in the region.

In a public statement, Nadia Baloch, sister of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) Central Organiser Mahrang Baloch, expressed concern over the growing number of such detentions. She posted on social media platform X:
“Very disturbing to find out that Advocate Hakeem Baloch was subjected to enforced disappearance from Quetta last night. The recent wave of disappearances is deeply troubling.”

Nadia added that Hakeem, a recent law graduate, had been active in providing legal support to Baloch rights activists and political workers. She stated that his advocacy work may have contributed to his detention.

In a separate incident, the BYC reported that Noor Khan, a young Baloch man, was allegedly abducted on July 21 by unidentified armed groups in the Jhal Jahoo area of Awaran district, Balochistan. His body was discovered hours later in the same locality. The BYC has claimed that state-linked forces were involved, although no official confirmation has been provided.

The legal community and several civil rights organisations are now urging authorities to immediately disclose Hakeem Baloch’s location and provide a transparent explanation regarding his detention.

As of this report, there has been no public comment from the CTD or relevant security agencies.

The ongoing pattern of detentions without due process has intensified calls for greater legal protections and accountability mechanisms in Balochistan.