Göttingen, Germany: The Baloch National Movement protested and rallied in Göttingen, Germany, against the nuclear tests that Pakistan conducted in Balochistan. The people of Balochistan marked 28 May as a Black Day. On that date in 1998, Pakistan detonated a nuclear device at Chaghai, Balochistan, causing severe consequences for the region. The nuclear radiation exposed the people of Balochistan to several chronic diseases. Many children were born with disabilities, and diseases such as cancer and skin disorders became more common in Balochistan.
Asghar Ali, the President of the BNM Germany, said the aftermath effect of these nuclear tests is staggering. After these nuclear tests, the Chagai area experienced radical change with drought becoming a regular event. Even today people in Chaghai suffer from skin diseases and inborn disabilities. Not only this ,livestock, the lifeline of Balochistan’s economy, has been affected immensely as there are reports of animals dying in thousands.
Ali exhorted that the International Atomic Energy Agency and other organisations should send a team and survey in Balochistan to assess the aftermath effect of the rapacious nuclear test of Pakistan in Balochistan.
Samul Baloch, the Vice President of the Baloch National Movement Germany Chapter, said, “Nuclear testing is a matter of great concern for the entire international community. It has far-reaching consequences, affecting not only the environment but also the lives of countless individuals. The Pakistan military’s nuclear weapons testing in Balochistan raises serious questions about the nation’s commitment to global disarmament efforts.”
She added, “Balochistan, a region already grappling with numerous socio-political challenges, is now burdened with nuclear testing sites. The consequences of these tests are not limited to the immediate surroundings but extend beyond borders, impacting neighbouring countries and the overall ecosystem. The potential hazards to human health, the environment, and the delicate balance of nature cannot be ignored.”
She expressed her concerns, “The nuclear testing in Balochistan by the Pakistan military is not just a local or regional concern; it is a global issue that demands our immediate attention. We must work together to promote transparency, accountability, and disarmament. Let us unite to create a safer and more peaceful world, free from the devastating consequences of nuclear testing.”
Shar Hasan, the joint secretary of the Baloch National Movement Germany Chapter, said, “Even today, the people of the world are oblivious to the ground reality of Balochistan. Pakistan has turned life into hell for the people of Balochistan by testing nuclear weapons in Balochistan. We call on the international community to take notice of the situation in Balochistan. International bodies, the United Nations and European Union, should keep a constant check on Pakistan. They should not support Pakistan financially or provide weapons to Pakistan.”
The people of Balochistan were in complete shock when Pakistan carried out its nasty nuclear bombs in Balochistan. The black mountain of Rasko turned white from the blasts. Nadeem Saleem Baloch, the former Joint Secretary of BNM-Germany, highlighted the aftermath and said that Pakistan carried out five nuclear blasts, four of which were 1 to 2 kilotons. The nuclear explosion of Rasko Mountain was 40 kilotons. He appealed to IAEA and world powers to send an independent team to Balochistan and assess the gravity of the aftermath effects.
Member of the Baloch National Movement, Shali Daad Baloch, said, “From 28 May 1998 till today, people of Balochistan are confronting fatal diseases and many people are getting affected. Livestock and agriculture have been completely destroyed. People are suffering from various skin diseases. Before these nuclear tests, people had enough means of livelihood, but the nuclear explosion deprived them of all means. It does not rain anymore in the area as it used to, and the areas have turned barren lands.”
She added, “Pakistan is a terrorist state, and lethal atomic bombs in its control are a looming threat to the world. The nuclear test in Chaghai turned the mountain of Ras Koh into a heap of nuclear waste and caused deadly diseases, which have spread rampantly. We request that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons be banned and sanctioned because Pakistan committed war crimes in Balochistan by testing an atomic bomb in Chaghai.”
Ahmed Baloch, a member of the Baloch National Movement, addressed the participants, “Ever since Pakistan deceitfully captured Balochistan in 1948, it has been unsuccessfully trying to suppress the Baloch people in one way or another. The people of Balochistan, who have been systematically going backwards for the last seven decades, live in the stone age. Countries choose uninhabited zones and take adequate checks and balances to prevent harm to their citizens. Pakistan did the opposite. In a carefully calculated move, the Pakistani establishment zeroed in on the Ras Koh Mountain range in Balochistan’s district Chaghai. Despite the passing of two decades since this catastrophic tragedy, the effects of radiation in Balochistan have yet to be studied.”
The Baloch National Movement has demanded for an external research team to go to Chaghai and conduct research on nuclear radiation. BNM opines that Pakistan should be harshly penalised for a reckless atomic test in Balochistan, which brought unending hazards for the people of Balochistan. Its dire consequences should be made public And strict measures should be taken to disarm Pakistan of nuclear weapons.