Geneva: Pashtuns protest against Pak Army

Members of the Pashtun community with origins in Pakistan and Afghanistan held protests against Pakistani Army in front of the office of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

They shouted anti-Pakistan slogans and blamed Pakistani Army for allegedly carrying out atrocities on Pashtun people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and parts of neighbouring Afghanistan.

Nafratullah, an activist of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) said, "For the past 40 years, Pakistan has been carrying out atrocities on the Pashtuns living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan. We are now protesting outside the UN and other European organisations to seek justice. We will fight until we get out rights."

A Pashtun protester from Afghanistan, Zirak said, "We have gathered here to protest against Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI, because they are not only creating troubles in Afghanistan but Balochistan and Kashmir. Pakistan is a terrorist-producing country - be it Lashkar-e-Taiba, Daesh and the Taliban. Today, we have gathered here to raise our voice in front of United Nations."

The Pashtuns were joined by Baloch, Sindhi and activists from Pakistan occupied Kashmir, as all of them are facing persecution by the Pakistani security forces.

Munir Mengal, president of Baloch Voice Association said, "Today, we not only Baloch but Pashtuns and Kashmiris, who are subjugated through enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings, have gathered here to raise our voice together. We ask United Nations to take initiatives and intervene to save the lives of people in Pakistan."

Chairman of United Kashmir People's National Party Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, said, "Today, we are here to protest against the brutality of Pakistan and its institution. Pakistan is actually promoting Theo-fascism and suppresses the democratic voices of the civil society. We are here to protect historical nations, their culture and their identity. Pakistan is a theo-fascist state and we are here to expose its expansionist designs."

Enforced disappearances are also prevalent in the resource-rich province of Balochistan where Pakistani forces resort to brutal means to suppress ethnic Baloch separatist groups.

The Voice of Baloch Missing Persons claims over 18,000 cases of enforced disappearances in this region alone.