OPINION | 19 Years After Nawab Bugti’s Killing: The Enduring Struggle for Baloch Justice and the Escalation of Atrocities

by Colonel Danvir Singh (Retd)

Bugti’s Assassination and Its Lasting Legacy

Nineteen years after the assassination of Nawab Akbar Shahbaz Khan Bugti, his memory remains a central catalyst for the Baloch freedom movement. This enduring legacy highlights the unbroken will of the Baloch people to seek justice against the Pakistani establishment, underscoring the argument that Bugti’s killing ignited a struggle that continues to define Baloch resistance.

Bugti was killed in a bombing of a cave in Kohlu, where he had taken refuge, about 150 miles east of Balochistan’s capital, Quetta. His death galvanised the people of Pasni and beyond to protest General Pervez Musharraf and the Pakistani government, as Bugti had served as Balochistan’s governor, chief minister, and chief of the Bugti tribe. The event remains a rallying point for Baloch nationalists, symbolising their resistance.

The Rise of Insurgency After Bugti’s Death

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a key militant group, cites Bugti’s death as a central grievance driving their fight for greater autonomy and, ultimately, independence. After his assassination, the Balochistan insurgency intensified, with the BLA and other groups carrying out attacks against Pakistani security forces and government sites.

Despite ongoing operations by the Pakistani army in Balochistan, the Baloch liberation movement endures, fueled by Bugti’s legacy and the people’s unresolved grievances. In their struggle for freedom, the Baloch have suffered greatly, while the West largely remains silent on the reported atrocities and human rights violations committed against them.

BASC Report 2024: Enforced Disappearances and Killings

The Baloch Advocacy and Studies Centre (BASC) has released a critical report outlining the ongoing practice of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan for the year 2024. This report records 674 instances of enforced disappearances, with 466 individuals remaining unaccounted for and only 208 having been released, revealing a troubling unresolved rate of 69.1%.

Monthly Patterns of Enforced Disappearances

The report notes that enforced disappearances tend to spike after attacks by Baloch resistance groups.

• October 2024: 106 cases after a BLA assault on Chinese nationals in Nushki (32% released).

• May 2024: 91 cases after the assassination of Allah Rakhia, ally of CM Sarfraz Bugti (84 unaccounted).

• November 2024: 90 disappearances after a BLA suicide bombing (23 released).

• July 2024: 56 cases linked to Baloch Yakjehti Committee protests in Gwadar.

• August 2024: 54 disappearances and rise in extrajudicial killings after a BLA bus attack killing 26.

• February 2024: Lowest number (31) despite ISIL bombings—no retaliatory disappearances in Pashto-speaking areas.

  
  

Other months (January, March, April, June, and December) also reported dozens of disappearances tied to military responses against BLA operations.

Districts Most Affected

The region most affected was the Kech district with 199 cases (30% of total disappearances).

• Dera Bugti: 87 cases.

• Awaran: 61 cases.

• Makran Division (Kech, Gwadar, Panjgur): 42% of all disappearances in 2024.

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Dera Bugti, in particular, continues to be a hotspot of atrocities, with disappearances often used as collective retaliation.

Disappearances were also recorded outside Balochistan:

• Karachi: 15 people abducted.

• Dera Ghazi Khan: 13 cases.

• Iran border: 1 case involving Wahid Kambar.

Targeting Students and Labourers

Students represented the most impacted demographic. Out of 455 known victims:

• 187 were students (50.4%), with 118 still unaccounted for.

• Labourers: 89 cases, 61 still missing.

• Drivers and small business owners: Also targeted, but in smaller numbers.

  
  

Baloch students, particularly those active in politics, face harassment nationwide, including in Islamabad. Working-class victims are often relatives of politically active individuals, pointing to a strategy of collective punishment.

Extrajudicial Killings

According to the report, 32 disappeared individuals were subjected to extrajudicial killings.

• August: 12 killings, including seven after the BLA bus attack.

• October: 6 killings.

• December: Several killings, including four between August 11–14 during Balochistan’s independence anniversary.

District-wise killings:

• Kech: 8 cases.

• Awaran: 6 cases.

• Panjgur & Khuzdar: 4 each.

• Others in Kharan, Kalat, Gwadar, Nasirabad, Nushki, and Karachi.

  
  

Some killings were staged as fake encounters or hidden in mass graves to conceal state atrocities.

Legal Frameworks Enabling Atrocities

Despite Pakistan ratifying the ICCPR in 2010, it has not ratified the ICPPED. Laws such as:

• Anti-Terrorism Act (1997)

• Protection of Pakistan Ordinance (2013)

• Anti-Terrorism Balochistan Amendment Act (2025)

grant sweeping powers enabling enforced disappearances. The COIED has failed to hold perpetrators accountable, while families face intimidation during hearings.

Disappearances have also been exploited politically—for instance, “returning” victims during the 2018 elections to boost BAP candidates.

Systematic Campaign Against the Baloch

The BASC concluded that Pakistan is executing a systematic campaign to weaken Baloch society—politically, economically, and intellectually. Targeting students and breadwinners further demonstrates enforced disappearances as a tool of suppression.

International Silence and Double Standards

It is high time that international human rights bodies demand accountability from Pakistan. Only determined international action can counter Pakistan’s impunity and answer the Baloch call for justice.

Western rights groups such as Amnesty International often criticise India over Kashmir but remain comparatively silent on Balochistan. This hypocrisy must end.

India’s Strategic Opportunity

At this critical moment, India has an opportunity to leverage the Baloch issue strategically against Pakistan. External engagement could serve as a counterbalance to Pakistan’s continued actions in Balochistan.

About Author

A renowned Defence Analyst, commentator & author, he hosts Defence Dynamics on DD India, contributes to top publications, and has covered European defence industries. A Sena Medal gallantry awardee, he led operations in Kashmir, commanded 9 Sikh Light Infantry, and studied at Army Public School Dhaula Kuan, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Academy Dehradun & Punjab University.