Sammul Baloch, a representative of the Baloch National Movement, addressed the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, highlighting the grave human rights violations being committed against the Baloch people by Pakistan. She provided detailed accounts of the oppression and called for international attention and urgent action regarding the current situation in Balochistan.
During her speech, Sammul Baloch spoke about the widespread enforced disappearances, stating that thousands of Baloch citizens have been abducted by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
She referenced the statistics provided by the Baloch human rights organization, Paank, which reported that between January 2024 and June 2024, 269 people, including men, women, and children, were abducted. Additionally, 25 individuals were extrajudicially killed, and 160 were subjected to torture.
She described these actions as part of a larger, systematic effort by the Pakistani state to suppress the Baloch nation’s struggle for the right to self-determination. The use of military force, targeted killings, and intimidation tactics, she said, are not isolated incidents but part of an ongoing campaign to silence the Baloch people.
Sammul Baloch pointed out that the state’s actions target not only political activists but also ordinary civilians, creating an atmosphere of fear and repression in Balochistan.
Despite the overwhelming evidence of these violations, she expressed concern over the lack of international response and criticized global institutions for failing to take meaningful action to address the Baloch crisis.
She stated that these human rights violations, which amount to genocide, have largely been ignored by the international community. The world’s inaction, she said, is a grave injustice to the Baloch people.
In concluding her address, Sammul Baloch called on the United Nations and the global community to hold Pakistan accountable for its actions in Balochistan. She urged the UN General Assembly to pass a resolution condemning the systematic oppression of the Baloch nation by Pakistan and supporting the establishment of a free and independent Baloch state. Such measures, she stressed, are essential to addressing the ongoing atrocities and ensuring the Baloch people’s right to self-determination.
Sammul Baloch’s speech shed light on the severe human rights situation in Balochistan and called for immediate intervention to protect the Baloch people from continuous violence and oppression.
She emphasized that the Baloch struggle is not just a regional issue but a matter of global human rights and justice.