Baloch activists raise ‘anti-Pakistan’ slogans at UNHRC in Geneva

The Baloch National Movement (BNM) organized an ‘anti-Pakistan protest’ at the Broken Chair sculpture in Geneva during the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.

Protesters voiced ‘pro-freedom’ slogans and accused Islamabad of “gross human rights violations” in Balochistan, which is the largest yet the poorest province in Pakistan.

They called for the urgent release of innocent Baloch who were forcibly picked by Pakistan’s security agencies. A large number of them are reportedly lodged in various jails across Pakistan, and many were killed in fake encounters.

“The Baloch, Pashtuns, Sindhis, and Kashmiris are suffering at the hands of the Pakistan Army. We demand the United Nations to intervene and investigate human rights violations in Pakistan,” Naseem Baloch, the chairman of the Baloch National Movement said at the protest site.

“Pakistan has tested its nuclear weapons without any safety precautions in Balochistan. The local people are suffering from various diseases, and we want to convey to the world about the heinous crimes by Pakistan in Balochistan,” he added.

Razzak Baloch, Secretary-General of the Baloch American Congress, alleged that the Pakistan Army is running the country’s affairs and it needs to be driven out of Balochistan.

“We are here to protest the occupation of Balochistan. In 1947, the British created Pakistan for their purpose. That purpose is served now. They occupied Balochistan in 1948, and since then, the Pakistan army has been running the affairs of the country. We want the Pakistan army to be out of Balochistan. The Pakistan army is looting and plundering our wealth. Our people are suffering. We want Pakistan to be dismantled,” he said.

Ayesha Siddiqa, a Pakistani author who joined the protest, said that the problem in Balochistan will continue till the authorities don’t reach out to the people, adding that it will not bring peace either in Pakistan or Balochistan.

“It’s not fair. People are being picked up, people are being disappeared, and human rights atrocities are carried out against the Baloch people. This is a political issue that should be discussed politically, and the treatment is unfair,” Siddiqa said.

She added, “Sadly, this problem is going to continue unless somebody sitting in Islamabad decides to solve this politically and reach out to people. They keep putting the provincial governments as unkind, and in that way, this problem is going to continue, it is going to simmer. It’s not going to bring peace either to Balochistan or Pakistan.”

Notably, Balochistan is facing multiple problems like enforced disappearances of young political activists and students by security agencies, extreme poverty, and unemployment.

The Baloch political activists, who have migrated to various countries, are now holding protests at various platforms to expose Pakistan and tell the world about the severe condition of those living in Balochistan.