Berlin, June 22: While Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir were playing peaceamakers between the US and Iran, members of the Baloch diaspora staged a demonstration in Germany to tell the international community about the ongoing human rights violations being committed by the Pakistani regime in occupied Balochistan.
Organised by the Baloch National Movement (BNM), the event in Bonn on Sunday saw participants highlighting the dire situation in Balochistan because of the extreme oppression being carried out by the Pakistani regime.
The participants demanded justice for the Baloch nationals victimised due to Pakistani oppression, said a press statement issued by BNM.
Deep concern was expressed regarding the “faceless trials” being conducted against leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
BNM characterised these proceedings as a blatant violation of fundamental human rights and established principles of justice.
Significantly, the demonstration took place on a day Pakistani PM and Asim Munir were playing mediators between the US and Iran during their talks scheduled in Switzerland.
At the BNM programme, Baloch participants highlighted that constitutional and legal rights have been effectively suspended in Balochistan, where the Pakistan Army operates with impunity.
They specifically noted the case of prominent BYC leader Dr. Mahrang Baloch and her colleagues, who are being targeted through opaque judicial processes.
In these trials, the identities of court staff, witnesses, and even the presiding judges remain concealed.
The protesters strongly condemned the ongoing attacks on the homes of Baloch activists and political leaders, reporting that residences are being looted and demolished.
Furthermore, they noted that the families of victims of enforced disappearances are being subjected to extreme pressure, often forced to hold press conferences to publicly disown their forcibly missing loved ones.
During the demonstration, the participants urged the international community to form an independent fact-finding mission—comprising of human rights organizations, journalists, and researchers—to investigate the human rights crisis in Balochistan.
Additionally, the protesters appealed to the European Union and other global powers to prioritize these grave human rights concerns when engaging in diplomatic and economic relations with Pakistan.
They emphasized that the respect for human rights and accountability must be at the core of all international engagement.
The protesters urged EU member states to evaluate their commercial, cultural, and political ties with Pakistan through this lens and to hold the state accountable for ensuring the protection of human rights.
