Indefinite strike against abduction of Baloch activist by Pak Rangers

The Baloch Human Rights Organisation (BHRO) is observing an indefinite hunger strike against the abduction of human rights activist Nawaz Ata Baloch by Pakistani rangers.

The protestors urged all the human rights activists to join the hunger strike camp and raise voice for the safe recovery of Nawaz Ata Baloch.

The strike started on Sunday outside the Karachi Press Club (KPC).

Baloch Human Rights Organization's (BHRO) activists during a press conference in Karachi Press Club said that Baloch Human Rights Organisation's Information Secretary, Nawaz Atta Baloch's home was raided by Pakistani rangers and plain clothed personnel abducted him along with eight other minors and his relatives from Gulistan-e-Johar, Karachi.

They alleged that women were also severely tortured and injured during the raid.

The activists said that the aim of this press conference was to highlight such saddening incidents and bring it to the knowledge of government and human rights organisations.

Nawaz Atta is a human rights activist and student of international relations.

Nawaz, himself was active in the safe recovery of enforced disappeared persons but today he has also been abducted and is among those enforced disappeared persons.

BHRO, which is a non-political institution and is not involved in any political activity, expressed its distress over enforced disappearances of persons, saying that the space for human rights defenders is shrinking in Pakistan.

"Nawaz Atta's abduction and disappearance is not acceptable at all. We request to security forces to produce him in front of the court if he has committed any crime and allow him to practice his right of defending himself instead of detaining him illegally to an unknown location. Along with Nawaz Atta, 4 other minors are also abducted which is a condemnable and non-humanitarian act. We demand the recovery of all of them safely," the BHRO activists said.

"We request to all human rights institutions, civil society's organizations and all human loving people including Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Asian Human Rights Commission to raise their voice against enforced disappearance of Nawaz Atta Baloch," they added.

BHRO demanded from the Sindh and the federal government to release Nawaz Atta and other abductees immediately and said that if he is not released safely than they will consider all means of protest including demonstrations in front of the Sindh Assembly and Governor House.