Representatives of Baloch National Movement UK Zone meet with British Minister Grant Shapps.

The central spokesperson of the Baloch National Movement said in a statement that the delegation of the Baloch National Movement UK Zone met the British Minister for Transport Grant Shapps and briefed him on the ongoing human tragedy in Balochistan.

Representatives of the BNM UK Zone delegation, Hassan Dost Baloch, Hakeem Baloch, Niaz Zehri, Fahim Baloch and Shehzad Baloch, briefed Mr Grant Shapps on the serious human rights violations, enforced disappearances and recent incidents in Balochistan in which Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has killed the missing persons in fake encounters.

According to the spokesperson, senior BNM member Faheem Baloch, representing the delegation, briefed Grant Shapps about the missing persons who were extrajudicially killed by CTD in the month of August. In the same month, more or less 22 people have been killed in different districts of Balochistan. Most of whom have been identified as missing persons who were already in the custody of security forces.

Faheem Baloch said that the massacre of Baloch missing persons in such fake encounters and later declaring them as insurgents fall under the category of serious war crimes. He told Grant Shapps that a major reason for the escalation of such incidents is the silence of international human rights organizations, the media and the international community, as the state of Pakistan and its security forces commit such crimes without fear of retribution and continues its brutal operations in Balochistan.

The spokesman said that BNM UK Zone General Secretary Niaz Zehri, referring to the grave human rights violations in Balochistan, said that the history of the current situation in Balochistan dates back to the 1839 British occupation. When the British imperialism in the subcontinent folded its claws and divided Balochistan into three parts and then deviated from the promise they had made with the Khan of the present Pakistan-ruled Balochistan. This included the attacks of foreign countries attacking the integrity of Balochistan as an attack on the United Kingdom, the freedom and sovereignty of the Baloch will not be allowed to come under fire.

Niaz Baloch further said that the new-born state of Pakistan forcefully occupied Balochistan which gained on August 11, 1947. Since day one Pakistan is committing war crimes there. This has led to the enforced disappearances of thousands of people, extrajudicial killings and the migration of thousands of Baloch from their homeland. Niaz Baloch said that as a responsible state and historically aware of the significance of this conflict, the UK has a further responsibility to hold the Pakistani state accountable for these heinous crimes and human rights violations. It should play a role in ensuring the rights of the Baloch and the independence of Balochistan.

BNM Diaspora Committee leader Hassan Dost Baloch said that the story of atrocities perpetrated on the people of Balochistan due to the ban on international media and human rights organizations was not only hidden from the eyes of the world, but it was also felt that the Pakistani state has largely succeeded in keeping the civilized world in the dark. Hassan Dost Baloch said that there is ample evidence in front of the world regarding the dual role of Pakistan but still the continuation of such barbarism of the Pakistani Deep State has led to a very serious humanitarian crisis.

Hakeem Baloch, President, BNM UK Zone, requested the British Minister, Grant Shapps, that we expect the Conservative Party to hold Pakistan accountable not only for the problems of Balochistan but also try to resolve the issue of missing persons.

The spokesperson further said that after hearing the briefing, Grant Shapps expressed concern over the situation in Balochistan and said that it was a serious situation and any disappearance of any human being in this manner, or massacre in a fake encounter would affect any civilized society. It shouldn’t be allowed. He said that of course there have been many events in history which have led to the oppression of the weaker nations.

He assured the delegation that he would take up the issue with the concerned institutions and seek their response.