Quetta [Pakistan], March 21 : A fresh controversy has erupted in Pakistan's Balochistan province after authorities in Quetta presented a previously missing woman as a suspected suicide bomber, raising serious questions over the state's conduct and transparency.
According to The Balochistan Post, the woman, identified as Farzana Baloch, also known as Farzana Zehri, was produced during a press conference by provincial officials, who alleged links to militant networks. However, the development has once again spotlighted Pakistan's widely criticised record on enforced disappearances.
As reported by The Balochistan Post, officials claimed that Farzana Zehri, daughter of Mohammad Bakhsh Zehri, had been detained in a recent operation and was allegedly in contact with a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander.
Authorities further alleged that she was being prepared for a suicide attack and was expected to undergo training after a meeting with Dr Sabiha Baloch of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC). These claims, however, remain unsubstantiated in the absence of publicly disclosed evidence.
The case has drawn sharp criticism due to Farzana Zehri's prior status as a missing person. According to The Balochistan Post, she had reportedly been missing since December 1, 2025, when family members alleged that Pakistani security forces detained her while she was returning from a hospital in Khuzdar. Her disappearance had been highlighted by rights groups as part of a broader pattern of enforced disappearances in Pakistan's restive Balochistan region.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, during the press briefing, accused militant groups of exploiting women for attacks and alleged that Zehri had been directed by individuals linked to the BYC. However, Baloch political activists and human rights organisations have strongly rejected these assertions, describing them as part of a systematic attempt by the Pakistani state to criminalise dissent.
Dr Sabiha Baloch dismissed the allegations, terming the press conference a "media trial" and reiterating that Zehri had been forcibly disappeared. She maintained that enforced disappearances are being used as a coercive tool by Pakistani authorities.
Similarly, Dr. Naseem Baloch, chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), condemned the incident as a violation of human rights, alleging that detainees are often pressured into making statements.