Geneva

Activists and human rights defenders are increasingly alarmed by the rising human rights abuses in Balochistan, where Pakistan continues to inflict suffering on the Baloch people without facing any accountability. Human rights activist Arif Ajakia condemned these brutal violations during a virtual address at the 57th Regular Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.

Ajakia highlighted how the Pakistani military controls the Balochistan Parliament, appointing officials who violate the fundamental rights of the Baloch community. He criticized Pakistan’s military operations in the region, stating that despite ratifying international human rights covenants, the country fails to meet its obligations. Pakistan is a member of the Human Rights Council but continually violates the very principles it claims to uphold, he remarked.

Echoing these concerns, Baloch rights activist Sammi Deen Baloch spoke of her father’s abduction by Pakistani forces 15 years ago. She emphasized that this tragedy affects thousands of families in Balochistan, where enforced disappearances and torture are rampant. Demanding rights in Pakistan is viewed as a crime, leading to severe repercussions for those who dare to speak out, she said. Sammi, who was stopped from traveling due to being on an exit control list, called for international support in holding Pakistan accountable for these human rights abuses, emphasizing the urgent need for justice for the Baloch people.