Quetta: From the podium of United Nations, Chairman of Baloch National Movement (BNM) Dr Naseem Baloch today highlighted the brute atrocities and human rights abuses being carried out by Pakistani forces in occupied-Balochistan and urged the world community to act immediately to stop the “genocide”.
Addressing the 54th session of UN Human Rights Council, he gave chilling details of enforced disappearances, killings, rapes besides other forms of torture that the people of Balochistan are being subjected to daily at the hands of Pakistani agencies.
During the General Debate on promoting and protecting all human rights, civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, including the right to development, Dr. Baloch emphasized the dire situation faced by the Baloch people.
“I want the assembly’s attention to the dire situation in Balochistan due to Pakistani forces. The Baloch people face a brutal genocide, including enforced disappearances, killings, torture, intimidation, and home destructions,” he said.
Dr Naseem Baloch cited the latest report of human rights group Paank, according to which there were 64 reported forced disappearances and three killings in Balochistan in August only.
Enforced disappearances is an extremely notorious practice of the Pakistani agencies wherein innocent Baloch people, including women, girls and children, are illegally picked up and afterwards no trace of theirs is ever found.
“Pakistani forces have also committed sexual abuses similar to those in Bangladesh,” the BNM chief said, citing the example of what the Pakistani forces did in erstwhile East Pakistan which led to its liberation from Pakistan.
Dr Naseem Baloch called for urgent attention to the severe human rights violations being perpetrated in Balochistan by Pakistani forces.
He highlighted several specific cases that exemplify the horrific experiences of Baloch individuals.
One such case was that of 13-year-old student named Murad Ameer who was raped by the army men in Hoshap, Balochistan.
Dr. Baloch also drew attention to a recent case involving Noor Khatoon, a female who, along with her two small kids, was arrested, disappeared, and subjected to torture for six days in Quetta, which occurred on August 28th of this year.
“These atrocities persist and require immediate attention and action,” the BNM chief said.
