January 8, 2024
Video: Aitzaz Ibrahim
English Text: Xari Jalil
LAHORE
Rallies and demonstrations in support of the Baloch solidarity march and sit-in have been held all over the world over the past many days. The Baloch sit in organized by the Baloch Yekjehti Committee (BYC) is being held in Islamabad outside the National Press Club.
To stand up for the rights of the people of Balochistan, and in support of the Islamabad si-in, there have been protests and rallies in parts of the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
Meanwhile, as the Baloch protestors continued their sit-in for the 18th day, in the bitter cold of the capital city, another camp was set up right opposite organized by the Balochistan Martyrs’ Forum, which also provided heaters and warm bedding to the protestors. They also played famous songs that have been sung for the Pakistan Army.
WASHINGTON, D.C
A demonstration was held in front of the White House by Baloch National Movement US Chapter to show unity with the ongoing protest in Islamabad for Baloch people.#UnForBalochistan #MarchAgainstBalochGenocide pic.twitter.com/4Nst84y7t6
— Вaѕнaм Вalυcн (@Bashamwati) January 7, 2024
On Sunday, a large protest was held outside the White House in Washington DC. The Baloch community demonstrated in solidarity with the Baloch protesters of Pakistan. The demonstration was organized by the US chapter of the Baloch National Movement (BNM).
TORONTO
In Toronto, the Baloch, Sindhi and Pashtun communities converged to protest in favor of the demonstration in Islamabad. The youth from the Baloch diaspora community also held a conference on the on-going issue.
The ongoing protests in Pakistan by Baloch women have galvanized the Baloch youth across the world, including those born overseas. The Canadian Baloch youth hosted a conference yesterday which I had the opportunity to address. They asked how they could help and get involved. pic.twitter.com/Teluquo6Eb
— Malik Siraj Akbar (@MalikSirajAkbar) January 8, 2024
The ongoing protests in Pakistan by Baloch women have galvanized the Baloch youth across the world, including those born overseas. The Canadian Baloch youth hosted a conference yesterday which I had the opportunity to address. They asked how they could help and get involved.
LONDON
The family of businessman Mir Taj Mohammad Sarparah, along with the support of the rest of the Baloch community, staged a sit-in for five days, which the authorities tried to stop with the help of aerial firing.
In front of 10 Downing Street, in London, a five-day sit-in by the family of Taj Muhammad Sarparah is going on.
Taj Muhammad Sarparah was enforcedly disappeared from Karachi on 19 July 2020. In Pakistan, Sarparah’s family made every effort by knocking on the doors courts and… pic.twitter.com/hy6XbVpW6E
— Mahrang Baloch (@MahrangBaloch_) January 7, 2024
Sarparah went missing in 2020. the sit-in continued for fail staged a sit-in for the past five days in Yakijati, which was called off after a final protest.
Taj Muhammad’s daughter said that it has been more than three years since her father disappeared, but nothing has been found about him yet – she appealed to the British government and the United Nations to investigate the matter and carry out an inquiry.
PROTESTS ACROSS PAKISTAN
On the other hand, protests were recently held in Balochistan University in Pakistan and in Karachi’s Malir area to show solidarity with the Baloch protesters, where the demonstrators demanded a stop to enforced disappearances and to recover already missing persons.
Meanwhile, the camp set up by the Balochistan Martyrs’ Forum in Islamabad was visited by the Former Caretaker Minister of Sports, Balochistan, Jamal Raisani.
Raisani told the media that the purpose of the camp was to organize in solidarity with the Baloch who had been killed by extremist organizations in Balochistan. He demanded the establishment of military courts in Balochistan and also demanded that the Supreme Court withdraw the decision declaring combined courts unconstitutional.
BACKGROUND & CONTEXT
Protestors from Balochistan had originally arrived in Islamabad from Turbat in the form of a long march against the extrajudicial killing of Balach Maula Bakhsh, who had been in the custody of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and was killed in an encounter. The long march was taken out against enforced disappearances in Balochistan as well as killings by death squads. Later after reaching Islamabad the long march participants were subjected to torture and arrests by the Islamabad police.
However ever since the Islamabad High Court ordered the release of all the arrested protesters and gave an order not to harass the protestors, the protests have been continuing for the last 18 days. The protesters are demanding that a United Nations’ fact-finding committee visit Balochistan and make inquiries regarding the matter of enforced disappearances, and also push to make an immediate recovery of all missing persons.