Baloch activists meet with UN officials; discuss human rights crisis in Balochistan

Baloch activists Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch initiated a meeting with UN officials to discuss human rights violations, including enforced disappearances, in Balochistan, advocating for international involvement. The UN delegation assured them that the concerns would be discussed within the UN for further action. The Ongoing protests against "Baloch genocide" and disappearances has prompted a social media campaign, #IStandWithBalochMarch, to raise global awareness and support.

Islamabad (Pakistan): As the protest continues for over 50 days against the Baloch-enforced disappearances, Baloch activists Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch met with United Nations officials and discussed the ongoing human rights situation in Balochistan, as reported by the Balochistan Post. The UN delegation included high-profile officials from the UN mission to Pakistan, Mio Sato, former Chief of the UN Mission and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Pakistan; Shah Nasir Khan, the UN's Resident Coordinator Officer; and Mariam Shaikh, a communications advisor at the UN.

The Baloch activists presented details of the human rights violations in Balochistan, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the suppression of peaceful demonstrators advocating for Baloch rights.They further highlighted threats faced by the Baloch protesters during protests and sit-ins, according to the Balochistan Post. Further, the UN officials acknowledged the concerns raised by Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch.

The officials assured the activists that the issues would be discussed with the relevant departments within the UN for further action. Notably, the meeting held between the UN officials and the Baloch activists was an initiative by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) to engage international bodies in addressing the human rights situation in Balochistan, the Balochistan Post reported.

Meanwhile, the BYC is advocating for the UN to dispatch a fact-finding mission to the region for an independent investigation into the reported violations. Earlier on Sunday, the boy from Kohar village in the Tump region of Kech was allegedly detained by Pakistani forces at midnight, and his whereabouts have not been made public since.

Notably, the forced disappearances continue to occur in Balochistan on a daily basis, and to highlight that, the Baloch Yakjetti Committee (BYC) has been holding sit-ins against "Baloch genocide" and forced disappearances in Balochistan and Pakistan's capital Islamabad for the past two months.

The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) on Saturday started a social media campaign #IStandWithBalochMarch to increase support for their movement throughout the world against enforced disappearances of the Baloch people. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the situation in Balochistan and bring together voices in support of justice, The Balochistan Post reported.

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