Toronto Protest Demands Freedom for BSO-Azad Leader Sanaullah Baloch and others

Baloch National Movement and BSO-Azad jointly protested today in Toronto to express their anger over the recent enforced disappearances by the Pakistani security forces in which more than a dozen students and children were abducted from their home in Karachi, Sindh. World Sindhi Congress expressed their solidarity and took part in the protest.

Baloch Students Organization – Azad Secretary General, Sanaullah Baloch and three other Central Committee members were picked up on Nov 15, 2017 from their home in Karachi during a raid by the ISI and Sindh Rangers. These illegal abductions by the Pakistani security forces have resulted in the torture and death of hundreds of political activists in Balochistan.

On October 28, 2017, Nawaz Atta, a young human rights defender, Information Secretary of Baloch Human Rights Organization (BHRO) was abducted along with several members of his family including children from the city of Karachi, Sindh.

Family of Baloch activist Sohnra Bugti, affiliated with Baloch Republican Party (BRP) was also abducted and disappeared by the Pakistani ISI and Sindh Rangers near Hyderabad, Sindh. The Bugti family is one of the thousands internally displaced from Dera Bugti, Balochistan because of the ongoing Pakistan Army operations against civilians in the area.

Similar to Balochistan, Sindh also is facing enforced disappearances where hundreds have gone missing recently. Several of the abducted political activists were killed during inhuman torture and their bodies were dumped in the open fields.

The protest gathering was addressed by Karima Baloch, Chairperson, BSO-Azad, Zaffar Baloch, President, BNM – North America, Hajjan Kalhoro, leader, WSC – Canada and Mr. Andrew, a Canadian social rights activist from Peterborough.

Speakers demanded