Baloch leaders accuse Pak of committing war crimes, human rights abuses in Balochistan

A conference held by Baloch Republican Party's (BRP) Germany chapter in Frankfurt has highlighted the state war crimes, human rights abuses and atrocities committed by Pakistan against Baloch people in occupied Balochistan.

Tobias Huh, politician and member of Free Democratic Party (FDP), while addressing the participants warned that not only Baloch, but the whole region would suffer if Pakistan continued its war crimes against the Baloch people.

President of BRP Germany Chapter, Ashraf Sher Jan, said that Pakistan was suppressing the people of the region in order to plunder their resources.

He said that Pakistan's deal with China over Baloch resources have put the people in a tense situation and added that military operations, abduction and killings had accelerated, with more than 50 killed and dozens abducted or detained ever since.

Prominent Baloch leader Nawab Brahumdagh Bugti, who addressed the conference via Skype, said: "Today, the Baloch suffer on their own homeland and the occupational Pakistani state has been committing worst war crimes to suppress the democratic struggle of the Baloch masses aimed at restoring their sovereignty, which has been forcefully usurped by the Pakistani state for the past 67 years."

Bugti said that massive human rights violations like military operations, bombardments on civilians, enforced disappearances and mass graves were being regularly carried out by the Pakistani forces in Balochistan. In addition to the forceful oppression of the Baloch masses, Pakistani forces have been using different tactics to counter the secular Baloch movement. Religious extremism was being injected into the secular Baloch society.

"Extremists groups are being trained and supervised by the state military and intelligence institutions to target religious minorities in Balochistan. A systematic genocide of Shia Hazaras is being carried out in areas like Quetta and Mastung by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which is headquartered in Punjab. Other similar groups have been targeting Christians, Hindus and Zikris which is aimed to confuse the international community and malign the secular Baloch movement and to label it as religious terrorism," Bugti added.

Referring to the deals struck between China and Pakistan, including the ones pertaining to the Economic Corridor and Gwadar port, during Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent visit to Islamabad, Bugti said: "Let us make it clear to the world that the Baloch do not accept the Chinese intervention in Balochistan and their evil designs which not only lack the Baloch consent but they are also aimed to oppress the Baloch and exploit their land and resources."

He also claimed that the financial and military aid being provided by western countries, particularly the United States, to Pakistan was being used to crush the democratic and political struggle of the Baloch people, instead of being used to battle terrorism.

"The only solution to the Pakistani state terrorism against the western world is the restoration of the secular Baloch state which would not only put an end to the sufferings of the Baloch and counter the Jihadi ambitions of the Pakistani security establishment, but it would also guarantee long-lasting peace and stability in the region," Bugti added.

He urged the international media, human rights groups, and NGOs to highlight the plight of the Baloch people and help raise awareness about the region's secular movement. Bugti also asked the international community to hold an independent referendum in Balochistan under the supervision of the United Nations and let the region decide its fate.

The conference was attended by Baloch Republican Party leaders and activists from across the European countries and German families, citizens, politicians, businessman and human rights advocates.