news details |
|
|
| Subjugation of Balochistanis: Human Rights’ Group Exposes Pakistan in Geneva | | |
Ankush Verma
The photo exhibition depicting subjugation of Balochistanis, organised by exiled Human Rights Groups, during the United Nations Human Right Council (UNHRC)in Geneva last month has once again exposed Pakistan’s notorious design towards its own citizens.
Balochistanis (residents of one independent princely state) are fighting for their independence since 1947, when Pakistan forcefully captured the region. The Human Right activists have time and again raised their issue, but this time they conveyed their message through a photo exhibition during the 46th session of the UNHRC in Geneva session in March this year to highlight Pakistan’s atrocities in Balochistan. In the exhibition, the activists held posters that detailed Pakistan’s actions and called on the United Nations (UN) to act and put pressure on Pakistan. The exhibited data collected from Baluchistan showed a total number of 892 verified cases of enforced disappearances were reported in Baluchistan in 2020, which is approximately 8 percent higher than in 2019. The exhibition showcased, according to Munir Mengal, President Baloch Voice Association, how the Army in Balochistan is doing military operations on a regular basis and how they are killing and taking away people. The banners at the exhibition showed that in 2020 alone the army conducted 682 military operations in Balochistan. It also showcased that the Pakistan army burned more than 1100 houses whereas 2200 were looted. During the military operations, the Pakistan army explicitly uses gunship helicopters, killings, abductions, and abuse of rights.
It’s not the first time when protests against human rights violations in Balochistan are held before UNHRC. In September 2020 Baloch and Sindhis protested outside the UN at the Broken Chair in Geneva against institutionalized state violence and other forms of socio-economic and political suppression of Baloch and Sindhi people by the Pakistan army.
In September 2019 the Baloch Human Rights Council organized a briefing on ‘The Humanitarian Crisis in Balochistan’ at a special tent at Broken Chair in front of the UN headquarters in Geneva. Similarly, in 2018, 2017, 2016, and since many years back, Balochis have been protesting against Pakistan atrocities before the UN and at several other international platforms.
But there is no decline in the rate of atrocities, albeit many numbers add to each year taking its graph to new heights. Although, Pakistan tries hard to hide the data of human rights violations in Pakistan but reports of various independent organizations indicate serious atrocities in Pakistan. Specifically, in Baluchistan there is a rise in cases related to unlawful or arbitrary killings by the government or its agents, including extrajudicial killings; forced disappearance; torture; arbitrary detention; crimes involving violence targeting members of racial and ethnic minorities. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has reported that around 47,000 Baloch have disappeared or gone missing. According to a Baloch human rights organization known as the Hakkpan organization, 568 persons disappeared and 241 were killed by the Pakistan security forces in 2019 alone. The issue of enforced disappearances is very significant in Balochistan.
The Pakistani army and security forces have abducted and disappeared more than 20,000 Baloch political and human rights activists since 2000. So far mutilated bodies of about 6000 of these victims have been discovered in different parts of Balochistan. In 2020, in Balochistan, around 35 percent of cases of enforced disappearances were reported from home whereas, 30 percent were from workplaces and 14 percent of the incidents were reported from colleges and universities. In April 2020, in the military raids, 16 Baloch was killed and as many as 73 people were picked up by the Pakistani forces, including students, women, children and infants. During the rigged general elections of 2018, violence outbroke Baluchistan in the area of Mastung and Quetta, which left at least 180 people dead. Several cases have been reported of unmarked mass graves in Balochistan which is a direct result of Pakistan’s “Kill and Dump” policy.
The members of Free Baloch Movement during a protest asserted that Pakistan has carried out five major military operations in Balochistan. As a result of which thousands of Baloch have been killed, disappeared and over a million have been displaced. The policy of abduction, torture, rape and killing of Baloch women and children in Balochistan started with the illegal occupation of Balochistan by Pakistan army. Targeting Baloch women and children has been a chief policy of Pakistan to pressurize the Baloch political and human rights activists to stop their activities for independence and for the Baloch freedom fighters to hand themselves into the Pakistani army.
But the world has turned a blind eye to the glaring human rights violations continued by Pakistan on the innocent Baloch people for the last 74 years, and especially since 2001-02. Pakistan has released a well-crafted plan to crush the people of Balochistan in its shameless quest for the resources of the region. Despite newly established democratic rule in Pakistan since 2008, there has been hardly any visible change in the approach of Pakistan towards the Baloch people as cases of politically motivated detention and killing and disappearance of Baloch people have increased manifold.
Due to the inaction of Pakistan to improve the condition of human rights in Balochistan, it is more likely that the movement of the Baloch people to safeguard their rights will continue. There is a strong dissatisfaction and opposition against the Pakistan government and army in Balochistan because both assaults their freedom, autonomy, and rights.
It is relevant to mention here that the Baloch and the East Pakistani Bengalis were among first to disagree with the West Pakistani security establishment. Starting from the 1970s, the Baloch have been fighting for more autonomy within Pakistan and their struggle has been brutally suppressed by the Pakistani state.
Instead of listening, what his own people are fighting for like Baloch and GB, the Pakistan authorities are still busy in picking flaws in India Kashmir and dividing people on religious lines. Pakistan sponsored separatists and terrorists organisations in Kashmir valley are busy in brainwashing and compelling the youths for joining militancy. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
