Dr. Naseem Baloch, Chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), has issued an urgent appeal to the heads of democratic nations. Among his three key demands is a United Nations fact-finding mission to investigate the ongoing human rights crisis in Pak-occupied-Balochistan.
In his statement, Dr. Baloch highlighted the Baloch people’s enduring suffering under Pak Army oppression. He emphasized that this crisis has its roots in the forcible annexation of Balochistan in 1948.
He said that, in POB, the Pakistan Army, intelligence agencies, and criminal groups sponsored by the military are blatantly violating human rights. Alarmingly, these violations are on the rise. The recent surge in military violence and genocide against the Baloch people in POB began around the turn of the century and has been intensifying over time.
The Pak military is indiscriminately targeting the Baloch nation with an aggressive strategy of collective punishment. Currently, thousands of Baloch people have been forcibly disappeared and imprisoned in detention centers by the Pakistan Army. These ongoing incidents of enforced disappearances have left Baloch society suffering from severe anxiety and psychological distress.
Dr. Naseem Baloch’s Plea for Help
Dr. Naseem Baloch said, “I would also like to draw your attention to the mutilated bodies that have been found throughout POB. Hundreds of unidentifiable bodies of forcibly disappeared Baloch individuals have been discovered, creating a massive human tragedy. Additionally, several mass graves have been found in various areas. The Pakistan Army has destroyed several villages, setting hundreds of houses on fire. This process of genocide continues nonstop as of this writing.”
Despite the availability of modern information sources, the severity of the Baloch issue and its human impact are being ignored globally. All international organisations, including the United Nations, are ignoring this serious humanitarian crisis. In 2011, the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances conducted a visit that was limited to a five-star hotel in Quetta. The commission either did not consider it necessary to meet with Baloch victims or the Pak authorities did not permit them to do so.
He further added,” The Baloch people are continuously fighting against their genocide, but the Paki establishment is harshly suppressing even minor protests. The latest series of events began on July 27, 2024, as Balochistan continues its struggle against enforced disappearances and genocide. A “Raji Machi,” or national gathering, was planned in the coastal city of Gwadar on July 28, 2024.”
People from all over Balochistan, including Karachi and Punjab, voluntarily came to participate in the rally. To foil the gathering, the Pakistan Army closed all roads, fired on innocent people, and disabled vehicles by shooting or torching them. He added.
Despite these obstacles, thousands of people managed to reach Gwadar. However, the Raji Muchi was attacked, and the city of Gwadar was bloodied. The leadership of the National Gathering was arrested, and to cover up their barbaric atrocities and heinous crimes, the authorities blocked all means of communication, including the Internet, which remains in effect.
POB Under Siege
The closure of communication channels and roads has made it difficult to know the exact situation in Gwadar, and it is impossible to provide medical treatment to the injured. The supply line for drinking water has been cut, and the road closures have led to a food crisis in Gwadar and other cities, as the Pak Army is obstructing the delivery of food items.
Dr. Naseem Baloch said, “I am proud that the recent Baloch resistance movement is being led by two fearless young women, Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Baloch. The frontline leadership of this resistance movement is also Baloch women. Sammi Baloch’s father, Deen Muhammad Baloch, is a senior leader of the “Baloch National Moment” and has been forcibly disappeared by the Pak Army for the past fifteen years. Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s father, Mir Ghaffar Langove, was forcibly disappeared twice by the Pak Army. The second time, he was tortured to death in secret detention centres, and his mutilated body was later dumped.”
It should be noted that Sammi Baloch was recently awarded the Frontline Defender for Human Rights Award, which she dedicated to the families of the forcibly disappeared Baloch missing persons. The struggle led by Baloch women is a new and unprecedented example in the region.
Dr. Baloch’s appeal includes three key actions for international actors:
- UN Resolution: Advocate for a UN fact-finding mission to assess the situation in POB.
- Condemnation: Urge international bodies to denounce the ongoing genocide, Pak Army violence, and human rights violations.
- Diplomatic Pressure: Apply diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to uphold human rights and end the repression.
Dr. Baloch concluded by stressing that the international response to this crisis will reflect the commitment of democratic values and principles. He called for concrete actions to address and resolve the dire situation in POB.