Pashtuns hold protest at UNHRC against Pakistan army for abducting and killing activists

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) Europe organised a protest in front of UNHRC headquarters in Geneva to condemn gross human rights violations in Pakistan.

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) Europe organised a protest in front of UNHRC headquarters in Geneva to condemn gross human rights violations in Pakistan. The Pashtuns were joined by Sindhis, Baloch and activists from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) who jointly raised a voice against atrocities committed by Pakistan Army and spy agencies, the ISI and Military Intelligence.

Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmir, exiled PoK leader said in his address, "the democratic forces in Pakistan are victims of state-run forces, who are committing enforced disappearances, killings of the Pashtuns, Baloch, Sindhi and other persecuted people." "The situation in PoK and Gilgit Baltistan is very grim as people are being put behind bars for more than 50 years", said Shaukat.

Baseer Naveed, a Sindhi human rights activist said, "Sindhis have been struggling for the past many decades. With an intention to marginalize Sindhis, people from other parts of Pakistan are being settled in Sindh." "Trend of Enforced disappearances started from Sindh and now extended to Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This is the most heinous crime as law does not allow enforcement agencies to keep a person for over 24 hours", said Naveed.

Fazal-ul Afridi, PTM leader based in France said, "Despite deteriorating health conditions due to COVID 19, Pakistan is financing and re-grouping Taliban and other terrorist groups in the former FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Enforced disappearances, target killings and collective torture by the Pakistan Army is on the rise. If not stopped, it will plunge the whole region into chaos." Pashtuns are holding massive protests in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as incidents of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings are on the rise in the province. 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)