Quetta, Oct 18 (IANS) A leading human rights organisation on Sunday condemned the firing on Baloch workers by a “death squad” in the Jiwani area of Gwadar in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, describing it as “state terrorism” and urged international institutions to play a practical role to ensure the protection of the basic rights of the Baloch people.
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) alleged that workers linked to the oil business were targeted by a death squad with state patronage on October 15, terming it an “extremely barbaric act.” It alleged that a death squad operating with state patronage has subjected the Baloch people to fear, terror, violence, and insecurity for many years.
In a post on X, BYC said: “Firing on Baloch workers by a death squad in Jiwani, Panwan Chale area of Gwadar is state terrorism. Targeting workers associated with the oil business by firing from a death squad active with state patronage on October 15 is an extremely barbaric act. The chain of economic genocide in Balochistan has been ongoing for many years—Balochistan, where border trade was the sole means of livelihood for the Baloch people, has been forcibly shut down. And now, to further restrict business through sea routes, death squads have been activated to expand this economic genocide.”
“Death squads operating with state patronage have been subjecting the Baloch people to fear, terror, violence, and insecurity for many years. From Gwadar to the Koh-e-Suleman, the Baloch genocide is being expanded through the hands of such groups in various areas. These groups have been formed under state sponsorship and continuously used to suppress the Baloch people and paralyse their political and economic life,” it added.
The BYC said that targeting Baloch workers with bullets “is tantamount to intensifying the economic exploitation and state oppression of the Baloch people”. It urged international institutions to play a practical role to ensure the protection of the rights of the Baloch people.
“After the closure of borders, the Baloch people have turned to the sea for their livelihood, and targeting workers there with bullets is tantamount to intensifying the economic exploitation and state oppression of the Baloch people. Depriving Baloch workers of their sources of employment and then making them targets of bullets is not only a conspiracy to economically destroy the Baloch people but is an open declaration of Baloch genocide,” the BYC posted on X.
“The Baloch Yakjehti Committee strongly condemns this incident and appeals to international institutions that, instead of limiting themselves to mere statements against the ongoing state oppression, economic exploitation, and serious violations of human rights in Balochistan, they should play their practical role, so that the protection of the basic rights of the Baloch people can be ensured and the trust of the people in global human rights institutions can be maintained,” it added.
–IANS
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