Sammul Baloch, representing the Baloch National Movement (BNM) , addressed the 57th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, focusing on the severe human rights violations against the Baloch nation. Her speech detailed the ongoing repression, calling for international attention and urgent action to address the situation.
During her speech, Sammul Baloch highlighted the widespread practice of enforced disappearances, where thousands of Baloch citizens have been abducted by Pakistan’s security forces, their whereabouts still unknown. She referenced data from Paank, a Baloch human rights organization, which reported that between January 2024 and June 2024, 269 individuals, including men, women, and children, were abducted. Additionally, 25 people were extrajudicially killed, and 160 were subjected to torture.
She described these acts as part of a larger, systematic effort by the Pakistani state to suppress the Baloch nation’s struggle for self-determination. The use of military force, targeted killings, and intimidation tactics are not isolated incidents but rather part of an ongoing campaign aimed at silencing Baloch voices. Sammul Baloch pointed out that the state’s actions not only target political activists but also civilians, creating an atmosphere of fear and oppression in Balochistan.
Despite overwhelming evidence of these violations, Sammul Baloch expressed concern over the lack of international response. She emphasized the failure of global institutions to take meaningful action in addressing the Baloch crisis, noting that these human rights abuses, which amount to genocide, have been largely ignored by the international community. “The world’s inaction is a grave injustice to the Baloch nation,” she said, highlighting the need for accountability.
In concluding her address, Sammul Baloch called upon the United Nations and the global community to hold Pakistan accountable for its actions in Balochistan. She urged the UN General Assembly to pass a second resolution addressing Pakistan’s systematic oppression of the Baloch nation and supporting the establishment of a free and sovereign Baloch state. She stressed that such steps are crucial in addressing the ongoing atrocities and ensuring that the Baloch people’s right to self-determination is upheld.
Sammul Baloch’s speech shed light on the serious human rights situation in Balochistan, calling for immediate intervention to protect the Baloch nation from continued violence and oppression. The Baloch struggle, she stated, is not just a regional issue but a matter of global human rights and justice.
