Baloch, Sindhis protest in Canada against enforced disappearances in Pakistan

The Baloch National Movement and the BSO-Azad jointly protested in Toronto to express their anger over the recent enforced disappearances by the Pakistani security forces, in which more than a dozen students and children were abducted from their home in Karachi, Sindh.

The World Sindhi Congress expressed their solidarity and took part in the protest held on November 19.

The Baloch Students Organisation - Azad General Secretary, Sanaullah Baloch and three other Central Committee members were picked up on November 15, 2017 from their home in Karachi during a raid by the ISI and Sindh Rangers.

These illegal abductions by the Pakistani security forces have resulted in the torture and death of hundreds of political activists in Balochistan.

On October 28, 2017, Nawaz Atta, a young human rights defender, affiliated with the Baloch Human Rights Organisation (BHRO) was abducted along with several members of his family including children from the city of Karachi, Sindh.

The family of Baloch activist Sohnra Bugti, affiliated with the Baloch Republican Party (BRP) was also abducted and disappeared by the Pakistani ISI and Sindh Rangers near Hyderabad, Sindh.

The Bugti family is one of the thousands internally displaced from Dera Bugti, Balochistan because of the ongoing Pakistan Army operations against civilians in the area.

Similar to Balochistan, Sindh also is facing enforced disappearances where hundreds have gone missing recently. Several of the abducted political activists were killed during inhuman torture and their bodies were dumped in the open fields.

The protest gathering was addressed by Karima Baloch, Chairperson, BSO-Azad, Zaffar Baloch, President, BNM - North America, Hajjan Kalhoro, leader, WSC - Canada and Andrew, a Canadian social rights activist from Peterborough.

Speakers demanded immediate release of the illegal abductees forced disappeared by the Pakistani security forces.