Baloch protesters demand UN to act against Pakistan for human rights violations

Updated:6 years, 7 months ago

Geneva (Switzerland), Mar 13 (ANI): Baloch political activists organised a protest in front of the United Nations in Switzerland’s Geneva to demand its urgent intervention to stop atrocities on Balochistan by Pakistan Army. Held under the aegis of Baloch Voice Association, the protesters highlighted the crimes committed by Pakistani security agencies and blamed them for kidnapping and brutally killing the Baloch political activists. Naela Quadri Baloch, who is president of World Baloch Women’s Forum said the atrocities on Baloch have intensified since after the launch of multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). She said, “Stop CPEC - because it is a death sentence for Baloch people and we are demanding from United Nations that they should materialise their treaties and their conventions which are to protect the people from genocide and from torture that Baloch people are going through and they should meterialise their treaties for the rights of indigenous people like from where they are constructing CPEC, the people are deprived of going to fish for the drinking water the resources are control by Chinese companies and our kids are dying of thrust and hunger”. Munir Mengal, the head of Baloch Voice Association said, “We intend to get the attention of United Nations and its rapporteur about the human rights abuses in Pakistan. Unfortunately, the people in Balochistan are facing military operations, they are facing enforced disappearances, our identity is at threat, our land is occupied”. He added, “So, we are requesting from this organisation that they have to play a role with respect to helping those people who are facing military operation from the state bodies from a country which is a member state of UN. So this has a big responsibility to play a role to at least ask its member state to stop those military operations and it’s an obligation to help those people who are asking for their right to self determination”. A large number of people from Balochistan are missing, who are allegedly languishing in torture cells. Many of them are believed to have been killed by the security agencies. For several months, the victim families continue to hold protest outside the Quetta Press Club, but the authorities fail to listen to their woes.