Baloch, Sindhis hold protest rally against Pakistan outside UN headquarters

UNITED NATIONS: Members of the Baloch and Sindhi community today held a joint protest outside the UN headquarters against atrocities and human rights violations by security forces in Pakistan in the restive Balochistan province and Sindh.

Organised by the Baloch National Movement (BNM) and Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) protesters raised their voice against brutal Pakistani military operations, enforced disappearances, torture and killings of civilians.

Nabi Bakhsh Baloch, secretary general, BNM-North America stated that the ongoing Pakistani military operation in the Kolwah area of Balochistan has resulted in fatalities while a large number of residents were taken away by soldiers who also set fire to their homes and properties.

"For the record, this scenario is not about Myanmar or Rohingya Muslims but Balochistan where Pakistan's Islamic army is committing genocide against its own Muslim population," he said.

In a statement, Sarang Ansari, JSQM – North America strongly condemned the "Pakistani state policy" of repressing the voice of political dissent in Sindh resulting in mass enforced disappearances, targeted killings, forced conversion to Islam of Hindu girls and brutal sectarian violence deliberately targeting Sufi shrines and places of worship of religious minorities.

Ansari demanded "immediate action by the UN to stop Pakistan from using terrorist jihadist outfits in Sindh and Balochistan against secular nationalist organisations".

In a joint memorandum submitted to the UN Secretary General, BNM and JSQM urged the world body to urgently take action against Pakistan army's "war crimes" committed against innocent civilian populations and the political dissent in Balochistan and Sindh.

"People of Sindh and Balochistan demand for an urgent UN intervention to stop the Pakistani state atrocities, gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity committed against civilian populations," the memorandum said.

"Suffering families ask for the return of thousands of Baloch and Sindhi missing persons illegally taken away by the Pakistan army in the last several years. UN should send a peace and human rights mission to Islamabad to find ways to end all military operations in Sindh and Balochistan," the joint memorandum said.