International community must unite to raise voice over Pak atrocities against Baloch people: German activist

A community of European states that are represented at the United Nations must unite to raise their voices against Pakistan atrocities on Baloch people, German activist Madam Claudia Wadlich said on Friday.

A community of European states that are represented at the United Nations must unite to raise their voices against Pakistan atrocities on Baloch people, German activist Madam Claudia Wadlich said on Friday. "A community of European states that are represented at the United Nations must come together and raise the Baloch issue, which has been ignored for years," Wadlich, a lawyer, said during a side event at the occasion of 45th UN Human Rights Council Session on Friday.

"China should be approached in the same way as they are not supposed to intensify or tolerate a genocide. A lot can be achieved through negotiation when this awareness finally reaches states represented to the UN, to stand up for the many thousands of abduction and killing, for human rights of Baloch," she added. The event titled 'Human Rights Situation in Pakistan... Balochistan is Bleeding' was organised and supported by Center for Gender Justice and Women Empowerment, Baloch Voice Association, Baloch Peoples Congress, Connect Lobbying Associates Brussels, Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), African Culture Association.

Chairperson Baloch People's Congress, Naela Quadri Baloch, also spoke during the event and urged the United Nations to intervene in order to prevent the ongoing "genocide" in the region. "From the last two days in the conference, Baloch people have presented the situation of genocide in Balochistan and how Balochistan is bleeding," she said.

Balochistan is a resource-rich but least developed province of Pakistan where a movement for freedom is ongoing for the past several decades. Many Baloch believe that the region was independent before 1947 and was forcibly occupied by Pakistan. Pakistan Army has launched several operations in Balochistan and has supported criminals, which locals call "death squads".

A large number of political activists, intellectuals, women and children in Pakistan's Balochistan province are victims of enforced disappearances by the security agencies. Many of them are languishing in detention centres whereas mutilated bodies of some of these abducted Baloch are found in isolated places.