EU should not remain silent over ‘horrendous’ human rights violations in Pakistan

The increasing evidence of widespread human rights violations highlight the need for the EU to strengthen its role in the troubled region of Baluchistan, says Niccolò Rinaldi

Baluchistan is one of the most troubled and poorest provinces of Pakistan. Bordering with Afghanistan and Iran, Baluchistan is rich in oil, gas, and minerals, but nevertheless its development has been hindered by the turbulence prevailing in the country. This feeling of injustice among the Baloch population has caused decades of long battle between the Baloch separatists and the Pakistani government. The Pakistani army and security forces are accused by the Baluchistan population of not only usurping their wealth, but also violating their fundamental rights. These protests have led to more abuse, persecution and are even inflicted by Pakistani officials.

European Union envoy meets VBMP Long March leaders

ISLAMABAD: A European Union (EU) delegation on Wednesday met with representatives of the Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) Long March leaders, and expressed its concern with the large number of enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings in different parts of Balochistan.

Capital Talk: Disappointed Mama Qadeer to move world court

ISLAMABAD: Mama Qadeer Baloch, who carried out the 2,800 kilometre long march from Quetta to Islamabad for the recovery of Baloch missing persons, has said that they have contacted the United Nations after being disappointed by the government and the judiciary.

They have consulted officials of the world body in Islamabad and have been assured that the United Nations will soon take up the issue of missing persons with the Government of Pakistan. Mama Qadeer expressed these views in the Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, while talking to the host of the show Hamid Mir on Wednesday.

Baloch leader Farzana Majeed shows the mirror to Pakistani journalists

The journalists at the National Press Club in Islamabad started asking questions with intention to provocate, ridicule and malign the Marchers in particular and the Baloch in general. Angered by their attitude Banuk Farzana Majeed Baloch gave them a dressing down they will never ever forget.

It is difficult to put those emotions into the translation but at least people will get an idea what she said.

Memorandum demanded UN to investigate missing persons issue

KARACHI: The government of Pakistan has ignored the historical long march of Balochistan by Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP} and families of missing persons for the recovery of disappeared persons of Balochistan.

According to media reports the four page memorandum demanded the UN to investigate issues of missing persons; target killings; enforced disappearances; alleged involvement of agencies in heinous crimes; and a UN fact-finding mission to investigate mass graves and international standard DNA tests to identify bodies.

2,000km march for Balochistan plight ends in Pakistan

People from Pakistan’s troubled southwestern Balochistan province have marched over 2,000 kilometres to Islamabad to demand their political rights and civil liberties.

ISLAMABAD: People from Pakistan’s troubled southwestern Balochistan province have marched to Islamabad to demand that their voices be heard.

They began their walk last year and have travelled more than 2,000 kilometres to reach the capital, seeking basic political rights and civil liberties.

HRCP aghast at denial of permission to visit ‘mass graves’

Internet Photo

BALOCHISTAN: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed concern over government’s refusal to allow right activists and media personnel to visit Balochistan’s Totak area where human bodies were found in unconventional graves.

A meeting of the HRCP presided over by its Balochistan chapter chairman Tahir Hussain Khan was held on Monday to review the situation of human rights violation in the province.