On the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the Sindhi Baloch Forum held a protest against the Pakistan government in front of the UK Parliament on Sunday.
The protestors, who wore masks and adhered to social distancing norms due to COVID-19 pandemic, raised slogans against the Pakistan government for its failure to protect the Baloch and Sindhis from atrocities committed by the Army and the ISI.
Dr. Hidayat Bhutto, the UK and Europe orgser of the World Sindhi Congress, said that human rights abuses against Sindhis and Balochs amount to crime against humty.
"We want to tell the UK government that they should not turn a blind eye to Pakistan's atrocities against the Baloch and Sindhi people. We press on Pakistan to stop the practice of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. We want justice for the victims. The way Hayat Baloch was killed by the Pakistan Army, this is a routine thing. We are demanding our right to self-determination and we will continue fighting for our rights," he stated.
Echoing similar sentiments, a woman activist participating in the protest said that Pakistan's military will pay a heavy price if they do not stop committing crimes against the Sindhi and Baloch communities.
"For the past several years, injustice has been meted out against Sindhis and Baloch. The enforced disappearing of people and torture should stop. You are committing crimes against Sindhi youth, why do you fear them? What do you want from them? If you do not stop these atrocities, you will pay a heavy price. We demand the immediate release of those people who have been disappeared," she said.
Another activist stated that the situation is getting worse day by day. "Hardly a day passes by where you do not hear the news of missing persons. It is happening throughout the year," he said.
The Free Balochistan Movement also held a protest against Pakistan outside the official residence of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the occasion of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
Several Baloch and other human rights activists joined the protest from different cities of the UK and expressed their support for the families of those who have been forcefully disappeared.
The protestors carried banners and raised slogans against Pakistan military's atrocities against Baloch people. They demanded the immediate release of previously abducted Baloch people and stopping of more enforced disappearances.
They also urged the international community, including the UK, to stop supporting Pakistan as this is allowing Islamabad to commit more crimes against humty.
( With inputs from ANI )
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