The decision by German authorities to deport Baloch political activist Atif Ali to Pakistan has been met with widespread condemnation from human rights groups and the Baloch community in Germany.
Ali, who has been living in Germany since 2017, has been critical of the Pakistan Army’s human rights abuses against the Baloch people. He has been threatened and harassed by the ‘establishment’ numerous times.
The Baloch community in Germany is calling on the German government to stop the deportation of Atif Ali. It is feared that he will be killed if he is deported. Several activists and supporters have been raising their voice. They are also organizing protests on 4th and 5th September, and are appealing to raise awareness of the case.
Pakistan is a failed state that has been wholly controlled by the Pak Army. And, this Army has a long history of human rights abuses against the Baloch people. Baloch activists and journalists are routinely abducted, tortured, and killed. It’s been years since the number of cases of enforced disappearances of Baloch activists have reached a staggering heights.
Ali’s case has drawn attention to the plight of the Baloch people, who have been fighting for freedom from the brutal Pakistan Army since it forcefully occupied Balochistan in March 1948.
The deportation of Atif Ali would be a major setback for the human rights movement in Pakistan. It would send a message to the Paki regime that it can continue to target and silence its critics with impunity.
The international community must pressure the German government to stop the deportation of Atif Ali and to ensure that he is not harmed.
The Baloch people have a right to self-determination and to live free from persecution. The deportation of Atif Ali would be a violation of these rights.