Sunday 24 / November / 2024
London: The Pakistan army has allegedly launched a covert war against the Baloch people for demanding the return of missing persons. The military has been incensed by the phenomenal success of a protest march led by a young Baloch doctor, Dr Mahrang Baloch early this year.
The Baloch villages and towns in the mountainous areas of Bolan and Harnal are being bombed by gunship helicopters, destroying houses and animal shelters across a vast area. Eyewitnesses report that forests in the area have caught fire during heavy bombing. Wildlife has been severely affected by the bombing missions. Natural reservoirs are being damaged by heavy strafing.
Heavy deployment of troops and ground weapon systems are closing in on Baloch villages of Saangaan, Jambado, Mia Kaur, Buzgar and Lakkad areas.
Several prominent Baloch human rights activists have voiced their concerns over the atrocities faced by the Baloch community in Pakistan over the last two decades. They have called upon politicians and other leaders to prioritise the civil rights of this oppressed community.
The event, which aimed to shed light on the plight of the Baloch community globally, witnessed the participation of over 500 individuals from around the world. This diverse group included journalists, representatives from media organizations, members of the United Kingdom government, intellectuals, and individuals belonging to the Baloch community.
Hosted by the UK's Labour Member of Parliament for Hayes and Harlington, John McDonnell, the was intended to bring attention to the severe hardships endured by the Baloch people on the international stage.
During the online session, prominent Baloch rights activist Mahrang Baloch detailed the numerous atrocities faced by the Baloch people. She revealed that she, too, had been a victim of enforced disappearances, recounting the abduction of her father when she was just 14 years old. He was later imprisoned on baseless accusations, becoming one of many Balochis who have been forcibly abducted and killed by Pakistan's law enforcement agencies.
She further said, "Balochistan has been facing a systematic genocide for the last 76 years. And, for the last two decades, every Baloch individual has been under the target of state atrocities. It is to create an atmosphere of fear and control every person's rights. Then came a time when the Baloch people were abducted then mutilated and killed by the security agencies and their bodies were thrown. Later on, mass graves were discovered in Balochistan, there are investigative reports by journalists that multiple mass graves exist in Balochistan, where the victims of these atrocities are buried."
Furthermore, Mahrang also added that, Pakistan's judiciary also has failed to address this issue, and at times has taken the side of Pakistan's military and state often safeguarding them by stating that the military and law enforcement agencies have nothing to do with those mass graves. Henceforth, none of these bodies have been identified and the relatives of these people still don't know the whereabouts of their relatives.
The recent long march which went through various cities of Balochistan and was welcomed by the local people finally witnessed the participation of thousands of Balochis.
The Baloch activist while referring to the same event said, "This movement actually witnesses and exposes, the whole setup of the Pakistani state."
Referring to the abduction of an individual named Balash, Mahrang narrated that he was first abducted and later on was presented in the court, but was ordered by the judiciary to a 10-day long remand but was killed during his remand after claiming he as a terrorist.
"Here we can see that we have exposed all of the state institutions, we know that one institution is behind the human rights violations but all other institutions are supporting them. During our movement, more than 50 individuals were abducted, and even during the 2024 Pakistan General Elections, these abductions have continued. During the entire movement, numerous mothers were on the streets for their sons. As they have abducted people who are over the age of 60 and are farmers earning bread for their families," Mahrang added.
She also added that "even the attorney general has given a verdict on January 10th this year ordering that no one must be abducted after that day but still the abductions have continued. It is evident that the state institutions are incompetent and incapable of providing basic rights to the Baloch community, which have been written in the constitution".
Sabiha Baloch, another activist specialising in students' rights present at the virtual discussion, while highlighting the challenges for the Baloch community stated that "this land produces resources worth trillions of dollars but the education rate is merely 23 percent. All small schools in Balochistan have been occupied by the army. Even after having millions of students, there are four universities, and even in those universities, the Baloch are so pushed back that they cannot afford education there. And why we are speaking if you ask, it is now a question of survival. we now have to speak as we are facing the worst human rights violations. The Baloch people are facing a lawless society. And all the institutions who are there in Balochistan are supporting Pakistan to continue this lawlessness and genocide".
She also stated, "No one is ready to listen to us, just because a wall is has been created around us made of fear, pseudo politicians and leaders. These leaders may be representing us but don't belong to our society. And those who want to talk about the real situation and rights of the Baloch people are abducted and threatened. This has happened so much that now we have become voiceless for last two decades."
Jamal Baloch, the third Baloch activist who participated in the virtual discussion said, "When a person is picked, his status of being a human is dropped at the very moment. He no longer remains a human for the law enforcement agencies who are involved in the person's disappearance. During my abduction by the Pakistani forces, they tortured me and after several tortures, I was released. During the torture, they were continuously trying to pressure me to give them some information of people who are engaged in politics. The condition of my release from them was, that I work for them and will never share what had happened to me in the prison. The same is with every single abducted Baloch individual."
"That place is unbearable, people may just be hearing abduction numbers from Balochistan, as a report from PAANK (Pakistani Human Rights Organisation) stated that in 2 years 2000 people were abducted which totals to around 3 people a day. It may be just a number for some people but even today I see images of what these people may be facing," Jamal added.
Furthermore, he said, "How systematically they have practiced this crime in Pakistan, they have convinced their people that it is justifiable to abduct anyone. That is why you will never hear from Pakistani journalists, Pakistani parliamentarians, and the common people raising their voices against these crimes. People's mindsets are already controlled, as they have molded the issue, and built the perspective and manipulated, to believe that those who are disappeared must deserve this, as they are actually against the state, although that is not the case".
Balochistan, constituting 43.6 percent of Pakistan's total area, stands as the country's largest province. Abundant in natural resources such as gold, copper, oil, and natural gas, it also boasts a 770km (478-mile) coastline housing the strategically significant Gwadar Port, a key component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Despite its wealth in resources, Balochistan remains the most economically deprived province in Pakistan. The Baloch ethnic group, forming one-third of the population, has faced prolonged marginalization due to discriminatory policies of the Pakistani government. This history of marginalization has been met with persistent armed resistance.
