Taunsa (Punjab) [Pakistan], December 20 : In an 'extraordinary' show of unity, thousands convened in Taunsa on Tuesday to rally behind the long march protesting the alleged 'Baloch genocide', The Balochistan Post reported.
The Long March, initiated on December 6 from Turbat, vehemently opposes what it claims the 'Baloch Genocide', condemning enforced disappearances and custodial killings of missing individuals in Balochistan.
Overcoming previous administrative hurdles in DG Khan, the marchers were warmly received by locals in Taunsa. Families of disappeared individuals and other participants were welcomed with flowers, symbolising the steadfast support and solidarity of the local Baloch community, the report added.
Addressing the demonstration in Taunsa Sharif, Mahrang Baloch, a human rights activist, underscored the shared struggles and unity among the Baloch people.
"Our pain is one; we are the oppressed of the same land," she declared, emphasising that "Balochistan is incomplete without Koh-e-Sulaiman."
Her words resonated with the crowd, with slogans like "Rajanpur to DG Khan is Balochistan" and "Stop Baloch Genocide" reverberating through the gathered masses.
"After the fake encounter killing of Shaheed Balach Baloch by the CTD, the ongoing long march against Baloch genocide isn't just a march; it's the hope of the Baloch nation tired of facing state oppression and exploitation," she added.
"This movement, ongoing for the past 26 days, started as a sit-in at Shaheed Fida Chowk in Turbat for two weeks. Faced with a lack of justice in Turbat, the movement made its way to Quetta in the form of a long march through various areas of Balochistan," Mahrang added.
After a four-day sit-in on Saryab Road in Quetta, involving families of missing persons and Baloch children killed without trial, the march is now headed towards Islamabad after crossing Mount Sulaiman.
"We're asking the people of Islamabad to come and be part of this movement, energising it for an end to the Baloch genocide," she urged.
The march is set to advance towards Dera Ismail Khan early on Wednesday morning, aiming for an arrival time of 9 am. The ultimate destination is Islamabad, where the march will merge with an ongoing sit-in at the Press Club.
This sit-in, currently in its 23rd day and featuring families of missing Baloch individuals, is part of a broader movement seeking to spotlight the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan, The Balochistan Post reported.
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