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Germany: BRP activists stage protest against enforced disappearances in Balochistan

ANI
Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, GermanyUpdated: Jul 08, 2019, 06:59 AM IST
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Baloch Republican Party's (BRP) Germany unit protests in Cologne, Germany. Photograph:(ANI)

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The protest was aimed at highlighting the escalation of military operation against the Baloch people allegedly by the Pakistan Army in Balochistan.

The Baloch Republican Party's (BRP) Germany unit has organised a demonstration here to highlight the incidents of enforced disappearances and human rights violations against Baloch people in Balochistan province in Pakistan.

The protest was aimed at highlighting the escalation of military operation against the Baloch people allegedly by the Pakistan Army in Balochistan.

The activists said that the Pakistani military establishment has been abducting and killing Baloch people who attempt to raise their voice against enforced disappearances and worsening human rights violations.

They held placards with slogans like -- '#CPEC is a map of destruction not development for Baloch people' and 'Baloch enforced disappearances, a crime against humanity'.

"We are here in Cologne to highlight Pakistan's inhumane behaviour in Balochistan. As we all know, there is a Baloch genocide going on in Pakistan which is being carried out by the Pakistan Army. Recently, the Pakistan Army has started a new game by releasing some abducted Baloch persons and abducting more people. They continue their military operations in different ports of Balochistan as well," Atta Baloch, social media manager, BRP Germany chapter said.

"In the name of CPEC and other projects, Pakistan has always looted Baloch resources along with China. When activists, doctors, teachers, lawyers or anyone tries to raise their voice against this genocide and (looting of) Baloch resources, they have been abducted or killed. We request the international community and human rights organisations to take note of Pakistan's inhumane behaviour in Balochistan," he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, another BRP activist named Muhammad Baloch also spoke about the enforced disappearances of Baloch people in Balochistan.

"We have gathered here to protest against the brutalities which Pakistan is carrying out in Balochistan. We have witnessed thousands of Baloch activists and students going missing and the numbers are increasing day by day. Unfortunately, Pakistan is carrying out abductions and the world is not questioning about it," he said.

Requesting the international community to intervene, the activist further said, "We request the world to intervene because Pakistan have started abducting women and children and the circumstances are getting even worse day by day. We request the international media and the UN to intervene as we are experiencing a genocide."

Muhammad Baloch hoped that the atrocities would come to an end and Baloch people would be allowed to live in peace.

Human rights activists from various Baloch organisations have been continuing their campaigns around the world to highlight the worsening human rights situation in Pakistan.

Pakistan's establishment has been long criticised over its practice of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings by International bodies and local human rights organisations that dare to speak out on the issue.

According to the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, an entity established by the Pakistani government, about 5,000 cases of enforced disappearances have been registered since 2014. Most of them are still unresolved.

Independent local and international human rights organisations put the numbers much higher. Around 20,000 have reportedly been abducted only from Balochistan, out of which more than 2,500 have turned up dead as bullet-riddled dead bodies, bearing signs of extreme torture.

Before being elected as Prime Minister, Imran Khan had admitted in multiple interviews about the involvement of Pakistan's intelligence agencies in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings and vowed to resign if he was unable to put an end to the practice, holding those involved responsible.