Beirut

Baloch rights activist Mahrang Baloch has raised concerns over the silence of the international community on the atrocities faced by the Baloch community in Pakistan. She expressed concerns during a conference, highlighting the issues faced by young people in the Middle East and North Africa due to repeated wars and clashes which concluded in Beirut, Lebanon on Sunday.

The event titled ‘The Middle East and North Africa Youth Conference’ (MENAYC) witnessed the participation of several young activists from around the world and over 80 delegates from 14 countries. In her video message, Mahrang Baloch stated, we, the Baloch people, are facing horrific genocide even in the 21st century, and we deeply regret the world’s silence on our plight. For seven decades, the youth, mothers, sisters, and daughters of our land have endured the worst tragedies of war.

Around the world, people are raising their voices for oppressed people, but the greatest shock for us is that no human rights organization has spoken up for us, nor have anti-war advocates addressed our genocide. When discussing the suffering of the Baloch people, the issue of enforced disappearances stands out. I say with utmost conviction that Balochistan is the region with the highest number of enforced disappearances in the world, she added.

In her video statement, Mahrang Baloch accused the Pakistani army and secret agencies of orchestrating the incidents of enforced disappearances. She also mentioned that the worst affected among the Baloch community are the youth as they are frequently abducted as they freely speak their mind and voice their concerns against the administration.