BSO-Azad accuses ‘State-Backed Death Squads’ of killing a schoolteacher in Buleda

The Baloch Students Organization Azad (BSO-Azad) has accused the Pakistani armed forces and alleged state-backed armed groups of being responsible for the killing of a schoolteacher in Kech district’s Buleda. The organization claims that this incident is part of a wider pattern of targeting civilians across Balochistan, highlighting a disturbing trend of violence and repression in the region.

In a statement sent to The Balochistan Post, BSO-Azad identified the slain teacher as Ayaz Baloch, a resident of Buleda. The group alleged that his death was carried out by “state-sponsored death squads” operating as part of Pakistan’s counterinsurgency strategy. They further claimed that these groups are used as proxies to carry out extrajudicial killings, allowing Pakistani forces to avoid directly engaging in such violent acts and “dirtying their hands.”

According to the organization, Ayaz was known for his dedication to teaching children in remote areas of Balochistan. They accused the Pakistani military of systematically targeting civilians, including students, teachers, doctors, writers, political workers, and other non-combatants. The BSO-Azad emphasized that enforced disappearances and killings have become a common tactic used against those who are perceived as opposing the state’s authority in the region.

The statement condemned the ongoing violence, describing it as part of “severe war crimes” committed by the Pakistani state in Balochistan. It called for urgent intervention from international human rights organizations and global bodies to address the situation. The organization urged the international community to take notice of the atrocities and press for an end to the violence inflicted upon the Baloch people.

A separate statement issued by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) provided additional details about Ayaz’s disappearance and death. The BYC reported that he was forcibly disappeared on 12 November near the Main Bazar area of Mehnaz while returning from school. They claimed that Pakistani armed forces, accompanied by a state-backed armed group, were responsible for his abduction.

The BYC further stated that Ayaz’s mutilated and decomposed body was discovered on 19 November in the Reko Dam area of Buleda. Due to torture and decomposition, only his clothing and shoes allowed for identification, as his face was unrecognizable. The group highlighted that this tragic case underscores a broader pattern of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture involving teachers, students, activists, and women in Balochistan, calling on the international community to urgently address these human rights violations.