August 03, 2024
Statement of Karachi civil society on the situation in Balochistan
We, the members of Karachi civil society express our shock and anger at the repression on the peaceful women of Balochistan.
The call for a national gathering at Gwadar by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee led largely by women, was for a peaceful protest.
We salute these brave women and their movement and support their demand to be informed about the disappeared and the extra judically killed political workers.
The gathering, supposed to be held on July 28, 2024 was outlawed by the Balochistan Government and hundreds of thousands of young men and women including families of missing persons from Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were stopped, stranded and subjected to harassment and brute force by law enforcement agencies. Despite this repression hundreds of thousands braved their way to Grwadar where a sit-in continues.
Across Balochistan and other provinces, people from different shades of life have expressed their anger at the use of force and are demanding that the state of siege be lifted.
As members of civil society we consider it our duty to demand that the government provide basic democratic right of association, assembly and freedom of expression as enshrined in 1973 Constitution with due regard to rule of law.
We also demand that the restrictions on the internet, communication and supply of food and water to the protesters be lifted immediately.
Pakistan is a democratic state and the constitution prohibits use of repressive measures against peaceful, unarmed citizens. The situation in Balochistan since past 20 years has been that of an autocratic rule, disenfranchisement of the right to choose representatives, enforced disappearances of tens of thousands, extrajudicial killings, youth denied the right to education, employment and the freedoms necessary for a civilized society.
We demand the government heeds to the grievances of the people of Balochistan, and treat the Baloch Yakjehti Committee as a political movement.
We demand the judiciary to stop turning a blind-eye to the repression in Balochistan, and we hope that those violating basic human right to life and dignity be brought to justice.
We believe that the right to freedom of expression, right of assembly, and peaceful protest must be respected by the state and the government.
Issued by
Sheema Kermani
Nuzhat Shireen
Dr Riaz Ahmed
Dr Asghar Dashti
Engr. Hameed Bakoch
Ahmed Shabbar
Wahid Baloch
Anand Parkash
Anam Pitafi
And members of Civil Society
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