Detailed Investigation and Concrete steps urged to ebable people Breath in Balochistan. Dr. Ali Akbar
States have a responcibility to ensure citizens “Freedom of Opinion and Expression” “in line with the requirements of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and (where applicable) with Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights”.
But unfortunately, the people of Balochistan have been and are being treated differently by the Islamic state of Pakistan. As a strategic policy the state had kept Balochistan a Media Black out region, neither the National Media nor the International Media have been given access inside the Balochistan and to the people of Balochistan.
The constant pressure and threats by the Government and particularly by the state forces to the Media organizations and to the journalists has pushed the people and societies to the brink of a chasm. In this situation ignorance or silence will lead to a situation of choas.
“I recied bullets in my body just for telling the truth about Balochistan and for highlighting the issue of Baloch Missing Persons” said Hamid Mir a renouned Pakistani journalist and TV anchor.
Journalism has become a crime, Journalists barely and rarely write independently. From the most of the districts of Balochistan the media organizations and jounalists are almost absent. i.e. Khuzdar, Dera Bugti, Kohlu, Kalat, Panjgur, Kech, Awaran, Gwadar, Kharan and even Capital City Quetta.
More then 32 Journalists belonging to Balochistan have been killed only in the last Six years. This also resulted in diminishing number of stringers and reporters in volatile regions such as Khuzdar, membership of the Khuzdar Press Club has dropped down from 20 to seven as a result of targeted killings. Similarly, the membership in the Qalat Press Club has dropped down from about 10 members to four.
Pakistani state reliance on Islamic Fundamental Groups and their Terrorist Forces as a strategic policy to counter-insurgency objectives exposes journalists and society at large to multiple risks and has long-term implications for social peace, and Freedom of Opinion and Expression.
Religious Terroist Groups Lashkare Jhangvi, Punjabi Taliban, Musalih Defia Balochistan, Tahfizul Quran, ISIL are terrorising the religious minorities, Baloch females, education institutes and the Journalists and writers.
Professor Saba Dashtyari, a Baloch writer, poet and linguist was killed in Quetta, close to Balochistan University Quetta in 2011. The incident was reported a target killing and Lashkare Jhangvi claimed responsibility.
Jan Mohammad Dashti a Baloch writer, senior journalist and the founder and owner of Daily Azadi was attacked in Quetta, for writing a articles in daily journals expressing secular and libral views, Lashkare Jhangvi claimed responsibilty.
The Baloch females, particulary teachers and educated females who use to take steps out from there home doors for work, for social affairs and shopping lively hoods alone wer threatened and attacked by acid. More then 12 females have been attacked in Balochistan particularly in Quetta, Mastung, Kalat, and Kharan areas only in the last 20 Months.
The religious terrorist groups initially threatened and then attacked the schools for providing western style co-education in Panjgore and Kharan Districts of Balochistan.
In July 2009, Daily Azadi, the Daily Balochistan Express , and while on August 18, 2009, the Daily Asaap Quetta newspaper offices were forced to close their publications. And unfortunately, after the attack on the Daily Asaap Quetta newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Jan Muhammad Dashti, the newspaper had to close its publication to save the rest of the staffers.
In October 2012, Mr. Faraz Baloch, the Coordinator of Baloch Voice Foundation (NGO) was kidnapped in day light and in presence of many witnesses by the paramilitary forces (F.C.). Twenty days later Mr. Faraz Baloch mutilated tortured dead body was recovered from road side. He was punished to serve as an advisory member of Baloch Voice Foundation (NGO) Book Publishing Committee.
Mr. Irshad Mastoi, a Baloch journalist. Who last his right hand in 2006 in a boomb blast, in performing his journalistic duty in Gawadar, while the then President of Pakistan General Pervaiz Mushraf was visiting Gawadar, Balochistan. Baloch Voice Foundation aided Irshad Mastoi to get medical treatment. After the loss of right hand, then Mr. Irshad Mastoi started writing with his left hand and continued his profession of journalism. In 2010, Baloch Voice Foundation invited Irshad Mastoi at Bangkok “Balochistan International Conference“ . In the event he presented the status of freedom of expression and opinion in Balochistan. Mr. Irshad Mastoi particularly presented how the life of Journalists are exposed to threat in Balochistan. Mr. Irshad Mastoi served in Baloch Voice Foundation Queeta Office and in Daily Express and ARY TV.
I Dr. Ali Akbar from this plate form of United Nations urge the UN bodies and agencies, the Govt. Bodies and the International organisations and UN Rapporteurs particularly the Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinin.
– to send a very strong message to the responsible state to take concrete steps for the freedom of expression and opinion and for the life safty and protection of Journalists Particularly in Balochistan.
-to chalk out a strategy to help the Baloch people to gain the right of freedom of expression and opinion, and play a vibrant role as a secular society.
-to ask the Islamic state to held responsibile the perperators who threaten the freedom of expression and opinion, and Journalists in Balochistan, and to end impunity.
-to conduct investigation from any reputable international organization and send send internationally renowned investigative journalist to Balochistan to investigate and report how these terroist organisations are threatening the freedom of expression and opinion of the people and also threatening and eliminating the journalists in Balochistan.
Author: Dr. Ali Akbar Read out his this statement at the United Nations Palace Geneva, Switzeland, at the Occasion of 28th Council Session of OHCHR, during the South Asia conference organized by Baloch Voice Foundation and Human Rights ACI on 12th March 2015.
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