SP Sharma
The voices are getting louder against Pakistan for letting lose repression and trampling human rights in the frontier regions of Baluchistan, Gilgit and Baltistan. Residents of these areas, particularly Baluchistan, have virtually raised a banner of revolt against Pakistan and were seeking independence.
The Jura and Baluchistan House earlier this week at the Capitol Hill in Washington jointly organized a meeting against violation of minority rights in Pakistan. Some participants accused Pakistan of allowing international terrorists to carry out nefarious activities from its soil. Top Baloch leaders a sometime back issued a signed Declaration seeking independence from Pakistan.
The independence struggle intensified after the veteran Baloch nationalist leader and a former chief minister of Baluchistan Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti alongwith his several relatives was shot dead by Pakistani troops in 2006.
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan has been accusing India of creating unrest in Baluchistan. These allegations have forcefully been denied by India.
According to reports, the Capitol Hill event was hosted by US Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee of the US Congress. Among the prominent speakers were Canadian MP and Jura Chairman Russ Hiebert, Italian Member of the European Parliament Elisabetta Gardini, Executive Director of Baluchistan House, Tarek Fatah, and Baloch leader and activist Mehran Baluch.
In his remarks, Canadian MP Russ Hiebert highlighted the injustice and oppression faced by the people of Baluchistan at the hands of their own Government. He also spoke at length on the methods used by the Pakistani army to torture and breakdown activists and leaders of the minority groups, in an effort to ensure their subjugation.
Italian MEP Elisabetta Gardini highlighted the extrajudicial disappearances and killings of Baloch people by the Pakistani authorities, and the growth of terror organizations within Pakistan. She added that international terrorists like Mullah Omar, Hafiz Saaed, and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi carry out their nefarious activities from Pakistani soil, and under the State patronage.
Executive Director of Baluchistan House, Tarek Fatah highlighted the critical threat that Pakistan poses to the United States and Western nations, by providing a safe haven for terrorist organisations, and by allowing the Chinese military to gain control of the strategic Gwadar Port close to the essential Persian Gulf petroleum shipping lanes.
In his address, Baloch leader and activist Mehran Baluch stated that Pakistan is committing serious human rights violations in Baluchistan, and through its policies, is changing the character of the secular Baloch into religious extremists. He added that the Pakistan government has unleashed its proxy groups like Lashkar e Jhangvi and Jamat ul Dawa, who are building Madarsas throughout Baluchistan, preaching hatred, targeting women’s education, throwing acid on girls and killing religious minorities like Shias, Zikris, Ahmadis and Hazaras.
Mehran alleged that the Pakistani establishment through its consistent propaganda and power has strengthened this erroneous notion that anyone who criticises policies of Pakistani government, or expose their wrong doings is ‘anti Pakistan’ and either an ‘Indian agent’ or ‘agent’ of another country that wants to destabilise Pakistan.
Congressman Chris Smith, in his capacity as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Sub-committee of the US Congress, announced the holding of a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee shortly, to hear expert witnesses who would testify on “Ethnic and Religious Minority Rights in Pakistan”.
It is worth mentioning that on last year on August 11, top Baloch leaders released a Declaration demanding independence of Baluchistan.
The declaration signed by Nawab Brahumdagh Bugti , Baloch Nationalist leader and President of BRP (Baloch Republican Party), Mir Javed Mengal , Baloch Nationalist leader, Nawab Mehran Baluch (Marri), Boloch Nationalist leader and Baloch Representative to the UNHRC & EU, and Sardar Bakhtyar Khan Domki, Baloch Natoinalist leader, listed seven basic reasons for seeking independence.
These included, oppressive policies followed by successive Pakistani regimes, intense human rights abuses have taken part in the Baluchistan region. Pakistan has occupied Baluchistan and expanded injustices against the Baluch people, in addition to exploiting their mineral wealth.
The Declaration pointed out that following the independence of Pakistan in 1947, Baloch leaders stated a clear intent to remain independent and maintain their cultural heritage and identity. Pakistan’s response was to use military force and illegally occupied Baluchistan on 27th of March 1948.
The Pakistani armed forces have launched ethnic cleansing and genocide in Baluchistan against the Baloch people and are systematically kidnapping, imprisoning and murdering Baloch political activists, students, lawyers, intellectuals and nationalist leaders. Pakistan’s security forces are engaging in an abusive free-for-all in Baluchistan as Bloch nationalists ‘disappear’ and in many cases are extra-judicially executed.
Pro-independence Baloch leaders have met on a regular basis and have demanded complete independence from the tyrannical rule of Pakistan, including immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Pakistani troops from Baluchistan.
The Declaration called upon to take cognizance of the deteriorating human rights situation in Baluchistan and look into case of missing persons in Baluchistan and to join hands with the political forces, human rights organizations and civil society groups addressing the human rights concerns of the Baloch people.
It called upon the international community to support the demand of independent and democratic Baluchistan and take immediate steps to end the militarization of Baluchistan and exploitation of the Baluch natural resources.
It urged the concerned parties on to take into account the aspirations of the Baloch freedom lovers and support their voices against Pakistani oppression on various international forums.
(Feedback:sharmasp07@gmail.com)
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