Toronto, Sept 03, 2012 – Baloch Human Rights Council (Canada) and International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons jointly called for a protest rally in Toronto to commemorate the International Day of the Disappeared and draw attention to the enforced disappearances in Balochistan.Baloch, Sindhi, and Kashmiri community members took part in the peaceful protest and expressed their solidarity with the people of Balochistan in their struggle for rights and freedom from occupation. The peaceful protesters carried placards and chanted slogans against the Iranian and Pakistani authorities and demanded immediate end to atrocities committed against the Baloch people.Sakura Saunders of the Protest Barrick Gold, Humaira Rahman of the World Sindhi Institute, Mr. Kolachi of the Sindhi Association of North America, Mumtaz Khan of the International Centre for Peace & Democracy, Dr. Shakir Baloch of the Balochistan National Party were present at the event among others.Toronto-based radio station CBRF 10/10 broadcasted a live coverage of the event along with a special interview with Zaffar Baloch, President, BHRC (Canada) by Tarek Fatah. Mr. Baloch described the human rights violations in Balochistan by the Pakistani authorities as part of the subjugation process of a state to completely annihilate all forms of resistance of a people to sustain a meaningful identity and an honourable life. He emphasized that the Canadian government should get actively involved and assert pressure on Pakistan to unconditionally release all the illegally disappeared persons in Balochistan. Mr. Baloch mentioned that Zakir Majeed, a student of Balochistan University and a prominent leader of Baloch Students Organization (Azad) was illegally abducted by the Pakistani intelligence agencies in June 2009 and is still missing despite the fact that his case is well documented with the UN Human Rights Commission, and the Pakistani lawmakers and Judiciary. Zaffar Baloch, President, BHRC (Canada)Imtiaz Baloch, Secretary Information, BHRC (Canada)International Voice for Baloch Missing PersonsClick on the following link to see pictures of protest: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.414762751905398.89348.155534177828258&type=1
