Baloch Genocide at full swing right before the eyes of ‘civilised’ world

Pakistan in its dirty war in Balochistan has changed its tactics several times in past few years. In their most recent tactic they have started to kill Baloch political activists in several orchestrated stage encounters. Their criminal tactic follows a clear pattern. They abduct Baloch activists and torture them for days, months or even years. July 2010 onwards Pakistan adopted the policy of abducted, kill and dump but recently they started to discard the bodies of previously abducted Baloch activists, who were abducted from different areas of Pakistan, during military offensive and then announce in their media that they were killed during arm clash with Pakistani security forces. This tactic could partly be due to the pressure that has grown on Pakistani military and intelligence agencies to produce the enforced-disappeared Baloch persons.

The Baloch political leader, Hyrbyair Marri says, “Abducting our people and killing them in such sham operations and labelling them as terrorists only demonstrate the height of our enemy’s inhumanity and desperation. They think with this monstrous tactic they close the cases of our loved and get away with their murder. These cases cannot and will not be closed as long as the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity are not brought to justice – the perpetrator for us is the state of Pakistan.”

On 10 August 2013 bodies of nine previously abducted Baloch have been found in Mach area of district Bolan in Balochistan. The Pakistan military and the state sponsored media claimed that these men were killed during a gun-battle and termed them as terrorists. The relatives of the deceased have say they received calls from the abductors that their relatives have been killed. There is no way the Pakistani forces would know immediately about the relatives of each killed men in battle and could ring and tell them [relatives] about their death. The families also presented the evidence of the men’s abduction month earlier proving that the state media and military have lied through their teeth about the Baloch victims.

The victims of 10 August were identified as 28-year-old Bijjar Ahmad son of Ali Bux Marri, 35-year-old Paliya son of Nodhan Marri, 20 year old Izzat Khan son of Wahsho Marri, 35-year-old Dad Ali son of Raheem Khan Marri and Wahid Bux son of Nabi Bux Marri.

Bijjar Ahmad Marri was abducted on 24 June along with Khoda Dad Marri at an FC check point from Rabi area. Brutally tortured and mutilated body of Khoda Dad Marri was found in Dera Allah Yar on 1st July 2013 whereas Bijjar’s whereabouts remained unknown until 10 August. The other men including Paliya, Izzat Khan, Dad Ali, Wahid Bux and another two of their relatives were abducted from main bridge of Mach town on 8 August. The Pakistani security forces also took away their private Datsun pickup. Two of their relatives are still in the custody of Pakistani forces.

Bullet-ridden dead bodies of another four Baloch were found on 11 August 2013. Their identity was ascertained as 25-year-old Noor Mohammad son of Sharbat Khan Marri, 40-year-old Raheemo son of Kechi Khan Marri, 30-year-old Jumma Khan son of Mohim Khan Marri and 20-year-old Razaq son of Nodhan Marri. They were all residents of Marri Abad area in Macch town, Balochistan. They were abducted during a raid on their houses in the morning of 11 August and their bodies were found in the following evening. The relatives of all above named men have identified their loved ones and testified that all of them were arrested and disappeared by Pakistani forces in the presence of several eyewitnesses.

All the nine men belonged to Mazarani clan of Marri tribe and were related. Their relatives even received phone calls from unknown number where the caller told them that their relatives have been killed and their bodies are in Mach hospital. Whereas, Pakistani media and the military claimed that these men were killed during clashes with security forces.

The Pakistani FC and military also attacked and opened indiscriminate firing at the gathering of people who were returning after burying the victims of state terrorism on 12 August 2013. Several people received bullet wounds and around 20 men were arrested, some of them were later released but many are still being detained at Saryab Road Police station without any charge. The detainees include: Haji Mehr Gul, Khuda Bakhsh, Haider Khan, Allah Yar, Sain Dad, Aman-ul-Allah, Lal Mohd, Peerik, Panzo and Sabz Ali Marri Baloch. All of these men live in New Kahan Quetta, a Marri Baloch populated area near Hazar Ganji fruit and vegetable market. Most of these men are labourers or have small businesses to help their families. Their abduction has created unimaginable difficulties for their families.

On the early hours of 14 August Pakistan military raided and attacked the house of a BNM leader Mr Imdad Bojair Baloch, killing Mr Imdad and Secretary General of BSO-Azad Raza Jahangir on the spot. During the raid Pakistani military personnel harassed and hit the women and children. They injured father of the BNM leader and took him along another man in the house. Pakistan military attacked the participant of Shaheed Imdad Baloch’s funeral and abducted eight more Baloch activists including Ahmad Ibrahim, Mehrullah, Rashid Suleman, Rahmat Yaar Mohammad, Haidar Hasil, Barkat Dad and Faisal Ghani Baloch.

Pakistan army on 17 August 2013 dumped the bodies of four more abducted Baloch victims in Bolan valley. Their bodies were identified as that of Lambha Khan son of Hasil Khan, Dado son of Bakar Khan, Saleem son of Ahmad Khan and Meero Khan son of Ahmad Khan. The Baloch National Voice in a statement revealed that Lambha Khan and Dado Marri along with their another four relatives were abducted from Eastern Bypass, cattle market, Quetta during a raid on their house around seven month ago whereas Saleem and Meero Khan were abducted from their home in Faiz Abad area of Saryab Road Quetta around four months ago. At least ten more bodies were found on 19 August 2013 in Mach. Their bodies are badly decomposed and barely recognizable. None of them has so far been identified.

Also, on 19 August two bodies of abducted Baloch were found in Zainkoh area of Dera Bugti. One of them has been named as Ismail Bugti, a member of the Baloch Republican Party whereas the other could not be identified because of sever mutilation of his body. As I was about to write the concluding paragraph of this article the sad news of the discovery of yet another two bodies in Sarjani town Karachi was reported in Baloch media. The victims have been named as Ramzan Baloch and Ghafoor Baloch, both residents of Turbat town in Balochistan.

Pakistan is committing these heinous crimes right before the eyes of ‘International Community’ but the ‘champions’ of democracy and human rights have so far turned a blind eye to Pakistan barbarism against Baloch people. Pakistan is eliminating the cream of Baloch society and the brightest citizens of Balochistan. What is even more callous that the international media including CNN, New York Times, Guardian, BBC, Aljazeera and other media outlets that continue to follow the Pakistani clichés about Baloch struggle for independence. Their reporters based in Pakistan are invariable either uninformed or downright biased about Balochistan and the Baloch liberation struggle. For example virtually in all their reports they repeat the same sentence that “Baloch separatists – fighting for provincial autonomy and greater share in resources.” Separatists or freedom fighters and demanding greater share in sources are two contradictory ideas. To see this inconsistency does not need much thinking and reflection.

Pakistan and its criminal political and military machine must be stopped immediately in their killing spree in Balochistan. It is the responsibility of United Nations, European Union, international Human rights Organisations, International media and democratic countries like United States, United Kingdom and the rest of the civilised world to change their role as a mere spectators. They should raise their voice against Pakistan’s crimes against humanity in Balochistan. Balochistan need urgent international attention. It is already too late and the world must not ignore the daily discovery of mutilated bodies of Baloch youth and let Pakistan to get away with its war crimes as they did in case of Bangladesh.