The New Pakistan team has been observing that all things are quite on the Baluchistan whereas our Baluch brothers and sisters continue to suffer and bear the brunt of human right violations and atrocities.
To give things some perspective, Noordin Mengal, a Baloch representative who highlights human rights issues at international forums, spoke at the UN Human Rights Council last month and stated that the Baloch people continue to face the brunt of the Pakistan military. According to UNPO.org website, Mengal pointed out that people of Baluchistan continue to face the brunt of a full-fledged military campaign by the Pakistan military while the international community seemed unmoved by the atrocities.
Mengal said that an organised and systematic policy of eliminating Baloch intellectuals, students, teachers, lawyers, doctors, political and human rights activists, young and old, is currently underway. He added that over 700 persons were abducted, tortured and extra-judicially killed in what Amnesty International has called the “kill and dump policy” in the past three years with thousands yet missing and their families yearning for their return.
In order to delve deeper into the Baluchistan fiasco we have to realize that Baluch people’s basic human rights and liberties continue to be subdued. Pakistan’s biggest province area wise, Baluchistan is rich in natural resources such as Sui gas, coals etc. The people of Baluchistan continue to be robbed of their natural wealth and resources generated inside the province by not being given a fair share to these resources.
Bring into the light the current situation of Hazaras and Shia genocide and the state sponsored assets from the past and the picture becomes uglier. Fundamentalists and extremist organizations continue to wreak havoc and wipe out secular Baloch nationalists and kill ethnic Hazaras with impunity. Human rights activists are killed on a regular basis and such elements with the backing of establishment continue to carry out target killings.
Another unfortunate aspect is the judiciary overlooking all these atrocities and turning a blind eye and media ignoring the truth. Suo Motu’s can be issued for bottles of wine but not for the dire situation in Baluchistan. Media has failed our brothers and sisters in Baluchistan as well by not highlighting he plight of Baloch people.
I will end with a very thought provoking question that Mengal asked his audience:
The Baloch will take a stand for humanity, but will humanity take a stand for the Baloch?
