BNM protest in London against the enforced disappearances of Baloch women
The spokesperson for the Baloch National Movement said in a statement that a protest was held by BNM UK Zone in front of 10 Downing Street, the residence of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, against the incidents of forced disappearances, torture and rape of Baloch women in Balochistan by Pakistani forces.
Along with BNM BSO Azad, BRP, Balochistan National Movement (Zrumbesh) and BHRC workers participated in the protest. Demonstrators held placards in their hands, chanting slogans against the disappearance of women in Balochistan, torture, and rape of Baloch women by state forces, including ongoing military operations in Balochistan and for the recovery of missing persons. The protesters also chanted slogans against Pakistan's economic and military aid by the international community and Pakistan's ongoing Baloch genocide in partnership with China.
During the protest, the British government official was provided information about the protest from Baloch National Movement activists. He expressed deep concern in the detailed discussions about the pushing of women and children into any conflict or for their political gain as it falls into the category of serious human rights violations.
Speaking at the protest, BNM Foreign Affairs spokesman Hammal Haider Baloch said that Pakistan while intensifying its military barbarism has started abducting Baloch women and children. According to the reports we received, more than 100 women have been missing in the recent past.
Hammal Haider further said that the UN should play a role to stop these serious human rights abuses and help the Baloch people in the struggle for the independence of Balochistan.
Expressing his views to the protesters, Abdullah Baloch, leader of the Balochistan National Movement (Zerumbish), said that if the Pakistani army believes that it can weaken the Baloch national movement by disappearing Baloch women and girls, it is a misunderstanding of the Pakistani state. Today, the Baloch sisters along with their brothers are part of the struggle. Abdullah Baloch added that the role of the Pakistani state will be written in black words throughout history. Just as defeat was destined for Pakistani army after raping hundreds of thousands of women in Bangladesh, so would history be repeated in Balochistan. Abdullah Baloch appealed to all Baloch people, including Baloch women, and said, "We have to face these difficult conditions so that we can reach our destination of independent Balochistan."
Addressing the protest, BNM UK zone president, Hakeem Baloch said, "The purpose of our demonstration is to tell the world that women and children are no longer safe in Balochistan, where men were already victims of forced disappearances."
Hakeem Baloch said that women and girls are being forcibly disappeared in length and breadth of Balochistan. There have also been reports in Dera Bugti, Kohlu Kahan, Bolan, Awaran, Makkuran including Karachi where women have been subjected to enforced disappearance.
Hakeem Baloch said that it seems that to hide the failure of China Pakistani Economic Corridor (CPEC), Pakistani forces want to kidnap Baloch women in order to bring Baloch leaders and workers under pressure paving the way to complete their bloody project of CPEC.
