Pakistani Baloch families carry photographs of their missing community members as they
arrive in Lahore on 12 February 2014. The minority group marched from Quetta to
Karachi in remembrance of relatives who have disappeared, allegedly at the hands
of Pakistan's security services.Getty Images / AFP
Baloch activists are urging rights groups and the international community
to pay
attention to the situation of people living in the Balochistan province,
western Pakistan.
to pay
attention to the situation of people living in the Balochistan province,
western Pakistan.
According to some members of the Baloch Republican Party (BRP) –
a democratic and secular organisation that aims to repel
Pakistani occupation and regain sovereignty in Balochistan
–Balcoh people are persecuted, abducted and
systematically killed by Pakistani security agencies and the
Pakistani Army.
a democratic and secular organisation that aims to repel
Pakistani occupation and regain sovereignty in Balochistan
–Balcoh people are persecuted, abducted and
systematically killed by Pakistani security agencies and the
Pakistani Army.
Ashraf Sherjan, president of the BRP Germany Chapter, has
warned that Balochs are haunted by what he calls "Pakistani
kill-and-dump-policy intelligence agencies
and armed forces."
warned that Balochs are haunted by what he calls "Pakistani
kill-and-dump-policy intelligence agencies
and armed forces."
Speaking to IBTimes UK, he said: "Since Balochistan was
forcefully occupied by Pakistan, Baloch people have been living
as guests of death.
forcefully occupied by Pakistan, Baloch people have been living
as guests of death.
"It has never been considered, even outside Pakistan,
that Balochistan belongs to the Baloch people who are now
haunted. Baloch leaders are being deliberately
assassinated by the occupying state of Pakistan for
demanding rights to their own
land."
that Balochistan belongs to the Baloch people who are now
haunted. Baloch leaders are being deliberately
assassinated by the occupying state of Pakistan for
demanding rights to their own
land."
Sherjan then cited the case of Baloch leader Shaheed
Nawab Akbar Bugti, who
was attacked and killed along with his tribesmen in 2006.
Nawab Akbar Bugti, who
was attacked and killed along with his tribesmen in 2006.
His murder prompted unrest in the area with thousands
of students from Balochistan
University and other locals rioting, sparking fears
that the then Pakistani President
Pervez Musharraf would be targeted with attacks in retaliation.
of students from Balochistan
University and other locals rioting, sparking fears
that the then Pakistani President
Pervez Musharraf would be targeted with attacks in retaliation.
"It would take days to mention the names of the thousands
of Baloch political activists, leaders and students who
were killed," Sherjan said.
of Baloch political activists, leaders and students who
were killed," Sherjan said.
Black month
Baloch activists refer to March as a "black month" for
Balochistan history as in two
separate occasions during the month, Balochistan
was first invaded and then
bombarded.
Balochistan history as in two
separate occasions during the month, Balochistan
was first invaded and then
bombarded.
"On 27 March 1948 Pakistan invaded Balochistan and
coerced the Baloch ruler to
sign a so-called 'accession treaty' after the Baloch
Parliament had rejected the offer
to join Pakistan on the basis of shared religion," Sherjan said.
coerced the Baloch ruler to
sign a so-called 'accession treaty' after the Baloch
Parliament had rejected the offer
to join Pakistan on the basis of shared religion," Sherjan said.
"On 17 March 2005, Pakistani paramilitary forces
bombarded the entire city of Dera
Bugti. More than 70 people, the majority of whom were
women and children, were
killed and nearly 200 were injured."
bombarded the entire city of Dera
Bugti. More than 70 people, the majority of whom were
women and children, were
killed and nearly 200 were injured."
People abducted and killed
In 2011, Human Rights Watch released a report documenting rights
abuses committed by the Pakistani government against people in
Balochistan.
abuses committed by the Pakistani government against people in
Balochistan.
The group urged Pakistan to end "widespread disappearances
of suspected militants and activists by the military, intelligence agencies, and
the paramilitary Frontier Corps in the south-western province of Balochistan".
of suspected militants and activists by the military, intelligence agencies, and
the paramilitary Frontier Corps in the south-western province of Balochistan".
The report detailed 45 alleged cases of enforced disappearances –
the majority
occurred in 2009 and 2010 – and warned that some of the people
who were
abducted were also executed.
the majority
occurred in 2009 and 2010 – and warned that some of the people
who were
abducted were also executed.
According to Sherjan, the policy of abducting and killing
Baloch people still
continues today.
Baloch people still
continues today.
"Many bodies have been found with amputated limbs in various
areas across
Balochistan and in Karachi. This inhumane practice continues to
date and families
of enforced-disappeared Balochs report that more than 20,000
Balochs have
disappeared since current Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf took power in
1999," he said.
areas across
Balochistan and in Karachi. This inhumane practice continues to
date and families
of enforced-disappeared Balochs report that more than 20,000
Balochs have
disappeared since current Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf took power in
1999," he said.
"In January 2014 three mass
graves were discovered in the
Tootak area of Khuzdar district in Balochistan.
The graves contained at least 169 bodies.
Only three of the
persons have been identified as
previously abducted persons who
were picked up from their homes
by Pakistani paramilitary forces.
"The rest of the bodies could not
be identified because they were
mutilated beyond recognition.
The military quickly cut off all
access to the graves and took
control of the remaining bodies
so no further forensic identification work was possible."
be identified because they were
mutilated beyond recognition.
The military quickly cut off all
access to the graves and took
control of the remaining bodies
so no further forensic identification work was possible."
Sherjan also urged the Norway government and the
international community to
shed light on the fate of Ehsan Arjemandi, a Norway
national allegedly abducted
in 2009, while he was on his way to Karachi from
Balochistan.
international community to
shed light on the fate of Ehsan Arjemandi, a Norway
national allegedly abducted
in 2009, while he was on his way to Karachi from
Balochistan.
"He has not been heard from or seen in public since then.
The Pakistani intelligence
service, the ISI, is believed to be responsible for the abduction.
I urge the human
rights organisation including the European Union and
United Nations to take notice
of Balochistan's situation and play their moral role in
ending human rights violations
before it's too late."
The Pakistani intelligence
service, the ISI, is believed to be responsible for the abduction.
I urge the human
rights organisation including the European Union and
United Nations to take notice
of Balochistan's situation and play their moral role in
ending human rights violations
before it's too late."
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