Balochistan [Pakistan], April 23 (ANI): A third individual killed in what is being described by families as a staged encounter in Balochistan's Duki district has been identified by relatives as Abdul Nabi Marri, a man reportedly missing for two months, as reported by The Balochistan Post.

On April 19, Pakistan's Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) announced that five alleged militants were killed during a shootout in Duki. The CTD claimed the men were associated with Baloch pro-independence armed groups and stated that weapons had been recovered at the site, The Balochistan Post cited.

However, the families of three of the deceased contest the official account, saying the men had been in the custody of Pakistani security forces prior to the incident. Abdul Nabi Marri's family confirmed he was among those killed, alleging he was forcibly taken into custody two months ago along with his father and brother. While Abdul Nabi's body has now been handed over, his father and brother are still missing, according to the family, The Balochistan Post reported.

Earlier, two of the individuals killed in the recent Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) operation in Duki, Balochistan, were identified by their families as men who were forcibly disappeared prior to the incident, as reported by The Balochistan Post.

One of the victims, Muhammad Deen Marri, was allegedly abducted by security forces from the Harnai district in December 2024. His disappearance drew attention from human rights organisations and was widely shared on social media on January 19, 2025, The Balochistan Post reported.

The second victim, identified as Ejaz, son of Khuda Bakhsh and a resident of Manguchar in Kalat district, was reportedly detained on April 12, 2025. He was taken along with another individual, Zaid, son of Abid Khan, from Sariab in Quetta. Both men were reported missing shortly after their detention. Ejaz's family publicly confirmed his enforced disappearance on April 16, and later identified his body as one of those killed in the CTD's alleged encounter in Duki.

The revelations have fuelled growing concerns over the practice of enforced disappearances and the authenticity of official narratives surrounding such operations in Balochistan. (ANI)