Pakistan Army at the heart of Baloch rights abuse, say activists at UNHRC

Pakistan's armed forces and intelligence agencies are at the heart of the continuing human rights violations in that country's Balochistan Province, claimed three senior Baloch activists in separate addresses at the 37th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) being held in Geneva.

"I would like to draw the attention of this council towards the human rights situation in Balochistan. The Baloch people continue to face worst forms of atrocities and human rights abuses at the hands of Pakistani security forces," said Abdul Nawaz Bugti, a representative of Baloch Republican Party (BRP), to the UNHRC.

"Enforced disappearances, torture and extra-judicial murders of Baloch political activists, human rights defenders and students by state agencies continue unabated. 173 Baloch people have been abducted by the Pakistani authorities since the start of this year and 91 people have been extra-judicially murdered," he added.

Another BRP activist Jawad Muhammad said, "Pakistan has always tried to silence any voices being raised on human rights abuses in Balochistan as 'internal matter' while human rights are universal and any violations should be a global concern. We urge the members of this council to speak up on the situation in Balochistan and help prevent the gross human rights violations from escalating."

Baloch Voice Association President Munir Mengal said, "Unfortunately, enforced disappearance and systematic abduction of females is being used by the Islamic State as a tool to rule and dominate Balochistan. They are being held as sex slaves in military torture cells becoming victims of extra-judicial torture. The international community must act to hold perpetrators accountable and to take effective measures to provide justice and remedy to the victims and survivors."

On Thursday, the BRP organised a car rally in Geneva through which it highlighted the war crimes being committed in Pakistan. Participating cars were adorned with the banners and advertisements of "Save Baloch People from Pakistani war crimes in Balochistan".