The Baloch National Movement (BNM) launched a powerful week-long campaign in the Netherlands, aimed at shedding light on the dire human rights situation in POB, coinciding with the observance of Human Rights Day. Through various events, BNM activists highlighted the ongoing violence and oppression inflicted by the Pakistan Army on the Baloch people, drawing attention to Pakistan’s systematic abuse of its ethnic and political minorities.
The campaign included a rally in The Hague, followed by a protest in front of the Dutch Parliament, where activists distributed hundreds of pamphlets to raise awareness about the grave situation. The BNM also submitted a petition to the Dutch Parliament, calling on the government to take a firm and principled stance on human rights violations in POB and publicly condemn Pakistan’s actions. A letter was also sent to the Dutch Minister of Defense, Ank Bijleveld, urging the Dutch government to hold Pakistan accountable and push for international measures to stop the ongoing repression.
In the petition, BNM activists called for the withdrawal of Pakistan’s GSP Plus trade status, urging the Netherlands to condition its renewal on significant improvements in Pakistan’s human rights record, particularly regarding the atrocities committed in POB. The BNM emphasized that Pakistan’s “Kill and Dump” policy, which involves the targeted abduction and extrajudicial killing of Baloch civilians, has left the population in fear and uncertainty.
Maheem Abdulrahim, President of BNM’s Netherlands Chapter, highlighted the suffering of Baloch families, with thousands of enforced disappearances remaining unresolved, leaving relatives without knowledge of their loved ones’ whereabouts or fates. “In this climate of fear and oppression, the Baloch population endures extreme poverty, while the Pak military continues its brutal campaign of violence against innocent civilians,” he said in the letter.
During the protest, key members of BNM Netherlands, including Vice President Waheed Baloch, Basit Baloch, Zahra Baloch, Dr. Latif, Abdul Rahman Baloch, Qadeer Sagar Baloch, Kia Baloch, and Jawahar Baloch, addressed the crowd, emphasizing that Human Rights Day serves as a reminder to speak out for the protection of Baloch freedom, rights, and identity. They condemned the Pak military’s decades-long campaign of torture, enforced disappearances, and the discovery of mutilated bodies, which continues to plague the Baloch community.
The BNM’s call for global action against the Pak Army’s human rights violations seeks to galvanize international pressure on Pakistan to end its violence, blood-shed and policies in POB.