The International Human Rights Day was observed in Karachi on Thursday. Activists of the Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh organized a demonstration to mark the day which was attended by scores of civilians, activists and families of the Baloch and Sindhi missing persons.
The participants carried banners and portraits featuring the photos of their missing loved ones, and appealed to the global human rights organisations to raise voice for the their safe recovery.
The rally was attended by Baloch activists Sammi Baloch, daughter of the missing Dr. Deen Muhammad Baloch, Seema Baloch, sister of the missing student leader Shabir Baloch, and Mahzaib Baloch, young niece of the missing human rights activist Rashid Hussain.
The Baloch activists said that our loved ones are missing for years; we have spent our childhood roaming on the streets in pursuit of justice, but to no avail. The rulers do not consider the Baloch as human, they said.
They further said that we’ve been appealing for years that if our loved ones are guilty, then produce them before the court. “Otherwise put an end to this charade”, they said.
The human rights abuses in Balochistan must be ended, the activists concluded.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee also held a demonstration in Naseerabad on Wednesday, demanding the providence of rights to the Baloch women. Activists Hameeda Baloch, Hakeem Baloch, Noor Memon and several others participated in the demonstration.
Addressing the gathering, Hameeda Baloch said that the providence of the due rights of women has become unavoidable now. She said that there is a need to take concrete practical measures for the allocation of women’s quota in government and semi-government institutions, the establishment of shelter homes for homeless women, putting an end to domestic violence and ending honour killings once and for all.
She further said that it is imperative to teach the children the life skills via the school curriculum and take action on the providence of female education. These are the government’s responsibilities, and the government must fulfil them, she said.
She also demanded the establishment of the campus of the Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University in Naseerabad so that the native females can get a chance to acquire higher education. She also demanded the construction of a girls’ college, and taking strict measures against underage marriages.