Islamabad – July 29 2025 — In a substantial development that could change the national conversation on enforced disappearances, Pakistani security sources revealed on Monday that evidence links several so-called “missing persons” to terrorist networks operating both inside and outside Pakistan’s borders.
According to senior officials from Pakistan’s security establishment, an internal investigation supported by intelligence intercepts and ground operations has revealed that numerous individuals who had previously been reported as missing are actually involved in militant activities, espionage activities, or acts of terror.
“These cases aren’t isolated incidents,” stated a high-ranking security official who requested anonymity. “We have evidence in the form of audio communications, movement tracking data and testimonies from captured militants that show some individuals willingly joined hostile groups targeting Pakistani state institutions and civilians.”
Human rights groups, families of missing persons and international watchdogs have long demanded answers regarding whereabouts of thousands of Pakistanis who allegedly detained without due process. Civil society groups have long criticised government and security agencies for failing to address such cases transparently.
Security officials contend that certain groups are misusing enforced disappearances to cover up individuals who are trained operatives of banned organizations such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) or foreign intelligence outfits.
“In several instances, we have tracked individuals who faked their disappearance or were reported missing by family either unwittingly or intentionally to avoid social stigma,” stated an official. “However, later their involvement in planning or carrying out attacks such as IED blasts or targeted killings emerged.”
Sources have reported that recent counterterrorism operations conducted in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southern Punjab yielded digital devices containing photos, coded messages and planning documents featuring individuals listed as ‘disappeared” in rights petitions. Some individuals may even have been found across Afghanistan’s border or training camps in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan region highlighting its cross-border nature of this challenge.
The government has yet to identify those it alleges are linked with terror groups, but states evidence will be presented at appropriate judicial and legislative forums.
Mohsin Naqvi confirmed these findings at a security briefing in Islamabad and called for a balanced national discussion on them. While adhering to human rights and rule of law principles, he pointed out the complex security threats we are currently facing – including misuse of the “missing persons’ narrative by hostile elements who pose real threats – while insisting this situation needed further examination.
Human rights groups remain dubious of this claim. Amnesty International issued a statement calling on the government to ensure transparency and independent verification of claims by making evidence public, while legal proceedings must conform with international law.
As this issue comes back into the limelight, calls are growing for an extensive government-led inquiry that can distinguish between genuine cases of unlawful detention and those related to terrorism. With security challenges and civil liberties on the line, Pakistan’s response could make all the difference for both domestic stability and international standing in months to come.