ISLAMABAD: Over a dozen leading human rights experts and UN Special Rapporteurs have expressed concern over the harmful impacts of Pakistan’s counter-terrorism measures in Balochistan, and warned against conflating legitimate advocacy with terrorism, while calling for full respect for international law.

“We acknowledge the serious threat posed by armed groups in Balochistan and express our solidarity with the victims of terrorism,” the experts said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

“All measures to counter terrorism must always respect international human rights and humanitarian law,” they said in a statement issued in Geneva on Tuesday.

Expressing alarm at the unrelenting use of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, the experts urged “Pakistan to establish independent and effective search and investigation mechanisms to identify the fate and whereabouts of those forcibly disappeared, criminalise enforced disappearances and hold perpetrators accountable”.

They also called on Pakistan to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances and recognise the competence of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances to receive and examine complaints.

UN experts call for more efforts to ‘address grievances that may fuel violence’ in Balochistan

The UN experts who signed the statement include Alice Jill Edwards, Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; Ben Saul, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; and Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur for freedom of opinion and expression, among others.

Conflating advocacy with terrorism

“Pakistan appears to conflate legitimate human and minority rights advocacy and public demonstrations with terrorism, threatening freedoms of expression, assembly, and association,” the experts said.

“Repeated internet blackouts in Balochistan have impeded freedom of information, transparency, accountability, political participation, and civic space.”

The experts expressed concern at the detention of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders and their supporters and actions against their family members and lawyers, which may amount to reprisals for their interaction with United Nations mechanisms.

They called for stronger measures to prevent all rights violations, hold perpetrators accountable, and provide remedies to victims.

They noted that the vague and overbroad definition of terrorism in the Anti-Terrorism Act has enabled the abusive listing of hundreds of individuals as “proscribed persons”, including activists, civil servants, students, academics, and human rights defenders. Prominent Baloch activists have also been placed on the “Exit Control List”, barring them from leaving the country.

The experts also urged the government to reconsider proposed amendments to preventive detention laws, warning of the risk of arbitrary deprivation of liberty, which is already extensively used against activists and human rights defenders, including women.

“Proposed new internment centres for terrorism suspects in Balochistan could also lead to gross human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and torture,” they said.

The experts called for a thorough review and amendment of these laws, proposals and practices to ensure full respect for international human rights law.

“Pakistan must also increase its efforts to address grievances in Balochistan that may fuel violence,” the experts said.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2025