Baloch community organizes protest in UK condemning Pakistani army’s atrocities in Balochistan

Several members of the Baloch Republican Party organized a protest at Trafalgar Square in London on Sunday to condemn the atrocities of the Pakistan Army, including enforced disappearances and fake encounters in Balochistan.

Protesters carrying placards and banners of missing persons in Balochistan called on the international community to take action and end human rights violations in Pakistan.

In a post on Twitter, the Baloch Republican Party shared details of the protest, saying, “The Baloch Republican Party protested in Trafalgar Square, London, to condemn the atrocities of the Pakistan Army in Balochistan, including forced disappearances and fakes. Encounters are included. Demand for justice and end to human rights in #Balochistan. #HumanRights #EnforcedAbsence.”

The Baloch Republican Party protested in Trafalgar Square, London, condemning the atrocities by the Pakistani military in Balochistan, including forced disappearances and fake encounters. Demand for justice and abolition of human rights #balochistan, #human right #forced disappearance pic.twitter.com/wbaL8f7W5H

– BRPBloch Republican Party (@BRP_MediaCell) 12 May 2024

It added, “Participants in the protests called on the international community, including the Government of the United Kingdom, to take action and end the long-standing human rights violations perpetrated by the Pakistani military in Balochistan.”

Moreover, Baloch Republican Party spokesperson Sher Mohammad Bugti Central claimed in a statement on ‘X’ that in a recent military operation, Pakistani Army has abducted more than 6 people from Dera Bugti.

Earlier, in a strike on freedom of speech and expression, Pakistan’s paramilitary Frontier Corps had opened fire on people protesting peacefully in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. Mehrang Baloch, a prominent Baloch activist at that time, shared about the firing by Pakistani security forces and called it a gross violation of the public’s fundamental right to protest and peaceful assembly.

Mehrang then expressed condolences to the injured on the X and said, “Disturbed to hear that the paramilitary Frontier Corps has fired on peaceful protesters in Chaman. This is a gross violation of the public’s fundamental right to protest and peaceful assembly. My thoughts and solidarity are with those affected by the violence perpetrated by state institutions. The demands of the Chaman protestors should be heeded.”

According to Tolo News report last week, four people were killed and twenty-one others were injured in firing by Pakistani military forces on Saturday. Officials of the Chaman protest movement said the incident occurred following protests over the blockage of the Spin Boldak-Chaman crossing.

Sadiq Khan Achakzai, a member of the Chaman protest movement, told ToloNews that Pakistani military forces opened fire on protesters during a break for bread and prayer on Saturday afternoon. Maulana Mohammad Yusuf, spokesperson and advisor of the Chaman protest movement, told Tolo News that the attack by the Pakistani army is unacceptable.

Maulana Mohammad Yousuf said, “The martyrs have been killed, and some of the injured have been shifted to Quetta while others are still here. We condemn this action of the Government of Pakistan and demand that the Government legally accept the request of the people of Chaman and end their injustice. “Pakistani military forces set fire to the protesters’ tents and imprisoned more than 50 of them,” Tolo News reported.