Voice for Baloch Missing urges International Community to raise voice against enforced-disappearances in Balochistan

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The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons leaders including Chairman Nasrullah Baloch, Vice Chairman Abdul Qadeer Baloch and General Secretary Farzana Majeed Baloch have urged Amnesty International, European Union, UN and other international Human Rights bodies to take to notice of enforced disappearances in Balochistan.

The VBMP leader said that Pakistani forces illegally abducted 19200 Baloch activists and more than 2000 among them have been killed and dump. “We have given proof and the documents about enforced-disappearances in Balochistan to UN representatives in Islamabad,” they said.

VBMP leaders said according their information at least 170 bodies were discovered from mass graves in Tootak area of Khuzdar and three bodies have been identified, whose names were in the list of missing persons. Only a proper and independent DNA investigation will confirm the true identity of the rest of the bodies found in mass graves. They alleged that there are mass grave of enforced-disappeared Baloch persons in Mashkail and other districts of Balochistan as well.

At a joint press conference at Quetta Press Club the VBMP leaders said that they are coordinating with the United Nations representatives to highlight the issue of enforced-disappearance in Balochistan.

They said: “We appeal the EU, United Nations, Amnesty International and all other international human rights organisations to put pressure on Pakistan for the safe release of Baloch student leader Zahid Kurd Baloch and save the life of Zahid Baloch.”

Expressing their lack of trust on Pakistani judiciary the VBMP leaders said: “we have no faith in Pakistani court and justice departments but we will continue to raise the issue of enforced-disappearance at all forums so the world can see that we have tried all peaceful and democratic means of struggle.”

They said state forces are continuously violating human rights in Balochistan and the VBMP has been peacefully protesting against the state atrocities in past five years. “Despite our democratic and peaceful struggle the state forces are continuing the Baloch genocide in Balochistan. They are abducting people from all walks of life and professions.” The relatives of Baloch abducted persons and victims of state’s kill and dump policy have been demanding for the safe recovery of their loved ones and if there are any cases against them they should be brought before and court and given the right to defend themselves, said VBMP leaders.

They said: “Pakistani state’s security forces and intelligence agencies subject Baloch prisoners to inhuman torture and kill them under-custody which is against international human rights conventions. At present thousands of Baloch including the leadership of Baloch Students are being tortured in custody of Pakistani forces.”

The VBMP leaders said that on 18 March 2014 Pakistani forces abducted Baloch Student leader Zahid Kurd Baloch in presence Banuk Karima Baloch and other BSO leaders. “Mr Kurd has been subjected to brutal torture on the spot being taken away.”

According to VBMP leader around 10 personnel of secret agencies and 300 FC personnel took part in joint operation for the arrest of Baloch student leader. They said it has been more than a month now that there is no news about Zahid Baloch’s whereabouts and his family, especially, his mother are extremely worried about his security because of the unearthing of mass graves and continuous kill and dump policy of state in Balochistan.

They said: “We know that area police station is scared to register an FIR against intelligence agencies and FC hence we urged the HRCP, other human rights organisations and the Supreme Court of Pakistan to order the police to register the case of Zahid Baloch’s abduction.

“We know that we will not get any justice as the door of justice in Pakistan has been closed for the Baloch people. They said the courts have already taken off the names previously missing persons from the official list but we will not be discouraged by such acts and will continue the struggle for the release of our loved ones.”

The VBMP leader said that honest and truthful journalists are being threatened by Pakistani security forces. The recent attack on Journalists Hamid Mir is a confirmation of such threats. Mr Mir has raised the issue of missing persons in Balochistan that’s why he was attacked.