Baloch activists shame Pakistan at UNHRC for violating human rights

Sep 16, 2019

Geneva (Switzerland), Sep 16 (ANI): Baloch activists have named and shamed Pakistan for violating human rights during the 42nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Qambar Malik, a Baloch activist and writer highlighted the grave human rights situation in Balochistan province. He said, “The Islamic radicalization in Balochistan is being used by the Pakistani authorities as a tool to counter the Baloch national struggle for the right to self-determination. These go together with the enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killing of Baloch nationalists by the security forces”. He added, “In the process of implementing these policies, lives and human rights of millions of people are being compromised”. Qambar also told the United Nations, “It is as a result of these policies that the number of Madrassas –that are the main source of recruits for Taliban and ISIS has outstripped the number of schools in Balochistan. The schools and universities, on the other hand, remain under constant attack from Islamist militants.” Karima Baloch, Ex-chairperson of Baloch Students Organisation-Azad also highlighted the human rights situation in Balochistan by narrating own story of victimisation. She said, “I eventually become the first women to lead the largest student-cum political group in Balochistan, the BSO (Baloch Students Organisation). I also appeared on BBC’s 2016 list of top 100 women. I owe it partly to my uncle, Noor Ahmad ‘the teacher’, as he is affectionately known in our village. For this crime, he paid with his life.” She added, “On July 28, 2016, soon after I had fled to Canada, Pakistan’s paramilitary whisked him away in front of dozens of witnesses to coerce me into surrendering my politics. But Noor Ahmad ‘the teacher’ had taught me never to surrender, no matter the cost. So, I didn’t. And they killed him”.