Hundreds Of Baloch Rally In Karachi Against Media Blackout In Balochistan
Karachi: Large numbers of Baloch women, children, and elderly have participated in a procession against military operations in Balochistan and media’s failure to report about Baloch genocide by Pakistan. The rally set off from Ath Chowk in Lyari, also known as Nawab Bugti Chowk, and marched all the way to Karachi Press Club. The Baloch National Front, an alliance of BSO-Azad and BNM, had given the call for the rally.
Baloch rally called for UN intervention in Balochistan and urged the international media to break their ‘criminal silence’ on Pakistani state atrocities in Balochistan.
Karachi: Large numbers of Baloch women, children, and elderly have participated in a procession against military operations in Balochistan and media’s failure to report about Baloch genocide by Pakistan. The rally set off from Ath Chowk in Lyari, also known as Nawab Bugti Chowk, and marched all the way to Karachi Press Club. The Baloch National Front, an alliance of BSO-Azad and BNM, had given the call for the rally.
The participants of rally were carrying banners, placards and flags of Balochistan. They chanted slogans against Pakistan and its security agencies. They also painted walls and shutters of closed shops with graffiti including: “BALOCH WANT FREEDOM, NO VOTE NO ELECTION AND STOP BALOCH GENOCIDE.” The rally transformed into a huge demonstration after they reached to the Press Club.
Addressing the gathering the female activists of BSO-Azad demanded the international media to fulfil their journalistic responsibilities in Balochistan instead of distorting the facts. They demanded to know the whereabouts of thousands of abducted Baloch activists and why the international media and international human rights organisations were ‘criminally silent’ on gross human rights violations in Balochistan.
They said despite state’s [Pakistan’s] genocidal policies and the silence of international media and human rights organisations, the Baloch people’s struggle over the years has taken the form of a strong national struggle for independent Balochistan. “The Baloch freedom movement has gained international recognition,” The protester claimed.
“Today we are on the streets and protesting against the ‘criminal silence’ of the international media on Pakistan’s atrocities against Baloch people. We are rallying in order to bring the plight of the Baloch people to the attention of international powers and the international media,” the speakers said. The silence of UN and the international world about Pakistan’s atrocities against Baloch people was not only threat for Balochistan but it was also a danger to the peace of world, they said.
They urged the UN, US and the rest of the international community to stop supporting Pakistan and any aid to Pakistan must be conditioned to improvements of human rights and ending the genocide of Baloch people. “Because of world’s support and international media’s silence, Pakistan is continually committing crimes against humanity in the region.”
The participants of the rally said instead of supporting Pakistan the world powers should support the Baloch people’s struggle for freedom. A free Baloch state would help the world in their effort to eradicate extremism and terrorism which is fast spreading across the world with the support of Pakistan.
The protesters appealed to the UN to immediately intervene in Balochistan and bring the Pakistan rulers and military generals to International Court of Justice for their war crimes and crimes against humanity.
They urged the international media, especially, the BBC and Voice for America (VOA), to break their ‘criminal silence’ and expose the state barbarism against Baloch people.
