The Baloch Human Rights Organisation (BHRO) on Saturday staged simultaneous demonstrations outside the Quetta and Karachi Press Clubs against the ongoing military operation in Mastung, Mashkay and other areas of Balochistan.The protesters chanted slogans against Pakistan and the silence of international media on ‘state terrorism’ against Baloch people. They alleged that the Pakistani security forces indiscriminately bombarded civilian populated areas in Balochistan and killed several innocent women and children. The BHRO protesters in their press release said that Pakistani forces have burnt people’s houses and shops in Kandri and other regions of Mashkay in Balochistan. “The operation, started on 25 December 2012, is still continued and Pakistani forces set people’s properties on fire.” They further said state barbarism is on the rise in other parts of Balochistan as well including Awaran, Mashkay, Mastung, Dera Bugti and Khuzdar where the state has doubled the number of it troops. The state forces continue to harass and intimidate people in those areas due to which daily life has come to a standstill. The Baloch Human Rights Organisation’s leaders said the silence of international media on state atrocities is further encouraging the security forces to continue their operations against Baloch people and kill or abducted innocent Baloch civilians. Meanwhile, the BHRO held a protest demonstration outside Quetta Press Club to condemn the killing of two Baloch during a military operation in Mastung town in Balochistan on Friday. The Baloch protesters charged that Frontier Corps (FC) personnel had killed, Abdul Rasheed Baloch and Shah Jahan Baloch, after a raid by at least two dozen FC vehicles in the Perkano area of Mastung, Balochistan. They said Abdul Rasheed’s younger brother Fida and two women were also injured as a result of firing by the FC whereas Saddam Baloch has been abducted in injured condition. The activists said harassing women and children was the worst violation of human rights and added that the silence of the media and international organisations over the issue was a matter of grave concern.They appealed the international media, Human Rights Organisations and democratic powers of world to take notice of ongoing military operations in Balochistan and practically intervene to stop killing and abductions of Baloch activists by Pakistan’s security forces.
