Billboard at Times Square calls attention to human rights abuses in Balochistan

A billboard urging the United Nations to help end human rights abuses in Balochistan was spotted at the iconic Times Square in New York, at a time when world leaders gathered in the city for the ongoing UNGA session.

The billboard was put up by Human rights campaigners from the World Baloch Organisation (WBO) in a bid to draw the attention of the journalists and the world leaders -- gathered in the city -- to the dire human rights situation in Balochistan.

"United Nations help end human rights abuses in Balochistan" read the black and white font of the poster against a yellow background, alongside a sketch of the statue of liberty.

According to the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (an entity established by the Pakistani government), as many as 5000 cases of enforced disappearances have been registered in Balochistan since 2014. Independent local and international human rights organizations put the figure much higher.

Earlier, mobile billboards were also seen driving around the city carrying messages such as "Baloch Lives Also Matter".

Pakistan's establishment has been long criticised over its practice of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings by International bodies and local human rights organisations that dare to speak out on the issue.

Before being elected as Prime Minister, Imran Khan had admitted in multiple TV interviews the involvement of Pakistan's intelligence agencies in enforced disappearances and extra judicial killings and vowed to resign if he was unable to put an end to the practice, holding those involved responsible.

Families of the abducted victims have long been protesting for the safe recovery of their loved ones in the provincial capital Quetta, and their protest camp has now completed more than 3500 days.

The WBO has for long been engaged in efforts to highlight the worsening human rights situation in Balochistan on international platforms, organising events around Europe and in the United States and focusing on advocacy activities in the European Parliament, the US parliamentary houses, and the United Nations.