The spokesperson for the Baloch National Movement (BNM) stated that the Pakistani state is misusing its power against peaceful political organizations and their members. The government of Pakistan banned the Pashtun Thafuz Movement (PTM) to create obstacles for the Pashtun Qaumi Jirga. World-renowned human rights leader Dr. Mahrang Baloch was also barred from traveling to the United States to participate in a Time Magazine program, and her passport was confiscated. These actions by the Pakistan government against the Baloch and Pashtun peoples demonstrate that they are being deprived of their fundamental rights in Pakistan.
The Baloch National Movement (BNM) condemns both the banning of PTM and the travel restrictions imposed on Dr. Mahrang Baloch at the airport.
The spokesperson noted that PTM has been waging a peaceful struggle for the past eight years. PTM is a strong grassroots movement opposing the terrorist activities carried out by both state and non-state actors in the Pashtun homeland. Despite harsh state crackdowns, PTM members have remained peaceful. However, the Pakistani government has unjustly declared it illegal. There are concerns that the upcoming Pashtun Qaumi Jirga, scheduled for October 11, may face similar forceful suppression, similar to what occurred during the Baloch Yakhjehti Committee’s public gathering (Raji Muchi) in Gwadar, which resulted in the arrests and deaths of peaceful participants and damage to public property.
It is feared that the Pakistani state will repeat such operations against the Pashtuns. Therefore, the United Nations and other international organizations must pressure Pakistan to ensure the peaceful conduct of the Pashtun Qaumi Jirga.
The spokesperson reaffirmed BNM’s solidarity with the Pashtun Thafuz Movement, which is a peaceful movement fighting for Pashtun rights. BNM will continue to support the PTM and the broader interests of the Pashtun nation at all levels. PTM activists are continuously harassed by the Pakistani state, with hundreds of members arrested and many others targeted and killed. Every individual has the right to organize and peacefully fight for their rights and political objectives.
The BNM spokesperson urged the international community to urgently address the worsening human rights situation in Balochistan and Pashtun territories. The ongoing silence of the global community on Pakistan’s gross human rights violations is emboldening the Pakistani state.
He added that human rights defenders like Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch, whose efforts have been recognized globally, are intolerable to the Pakistani state. Dr. Mahrang Baloch was stopped at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, and her passport was confiscated without any legal justification. Later, as she and Sammi Deen were returning home, they were harassed, had their car keys confiscated, and were left stranded on the lonely road. These abuses are frequently recurring.
The spokesperson concluded with a stern warning to the Pakistani state: “We also warn the state of Pakistan that it is playing with fire. Manzoor Pashteen, Dr. Mahrang Baloch, and Sami Deen Baloch are invaluable assets and national voices of the oppressed nations. Any attempt to silence them will be met with severe retaliation.”
