“The human rights situation in Balochistan is rapidly deteriorating,” Jamal Baloch, the media coordinator of Paank has said in a statement.
The brief statement of Jamal Baloch on the plight of Balochistan’s human rights situation was shared on Twitter by Paank, the human rights department of Baloch National Movement.
“As the media coordinator of Paank, the human rights department of Baloch National Movement, I am deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Balochistan. It is clear that the people of Balochistan are facing numerous human rights violations, including attacks on their livelihood, military aggression against small local businesses and traders, and the increasing presence of military check-posts where people are humiliated,” Jamal Baloch said in the statement.
He added that he is deeply concerned by the increasing pace of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, particularly the targeting of students. “The profiling of students is a grave violation of their rights and must be immediately stopped,” he said.
“No individual have to fear their safety and well-being simply because of their identity or political beliefs. The use of enforced disappearances as a means of intimidation and control is unacceptable. Protests for the release of missing persons are met with aggression from the police, and the recent police attack on a sit-in protest in Gwadar is a glaring example of it which is deeply troubling,” the statement read.
Shocking reports and images have been coming in last few days out of Gwadar, where a military crackdown against protestors has reportedly led to hundreds of forced disappearances and several casualties. Tragically, a 19 year old boy named Dost Muhammad has also succumbed to his injuries.
Jamal Baloch of Paank also said that “as a concerned citizen and advocate for human rights, I strongly oppose the Reko Diq agreement between Canadian firm Barrick Gold and Pakistan. This agreement, which was made without the consent of the local people, is a blatant violation of their rights and resources.”
“It is first and foremost the right of the deprived people of Balochistan to control and benefit from their own natural resources, and this agreement completely between Pakistan and Canada disregards their interests and needs. It is deeply unfair and unjust for a foreign corporation to profit from the exploitation of Balochistan’s resources while the local people receive nothing in return,” he said.
The human rights department of BNM said in the statement: “we call on the international community, specifically the governments of Canada and Pakistan, to respect the rights of the people of Balochistan and to cancel this agreement immediately. We also call on human rights organizations to raise awareness about these injustices and to advocate for the rights of the people of Balochistan.”
“In Balochistan, where the population is persecuted under various false pretences where fake encounters are carried out, in which the counter terrorism department (CTD) has killed previously abducted youth, this is a major issue that the government has failed to address. I strongly condemn the fake encounters being carried out by the counter terrorism department (CTD) in Balochistan. The use of fake encounters to kill previously abducted youth is a blatant abuse of power and a gross violation of human rights.”
“No individual should be subjected to extrajudicial killing, and it is unacceptable for the CTD to engage in such practices. These fake encounters undermine the rule of law and erode trust in the justice system, and they must be immediately stopped.”
Jamal Baloch added: “I call on the government of Balochistan to take action to end these fake encounters and hold those responsible accountable for their actions. I also call on the international community and human rights organizations to speak out against these abuses and advocate for the protection of the human rights of the people of Balochistan. The use of fake encounters must not be tolerated.
“It is imperative that the international community, specifically the United Nations, intervene to address the human rights crisis in Balochistan and work to resolve these issues. Human rights organizations must also raise awareness about the situation and advocate for the protection of the human rights of the people of Balochistan.”