Balochistan: Pakistan Fears Reactions to Statement by Indian PM Modi
Photo Courtesy of Narendra Modi 2013 @Flickr
The Baloch Representative at the United Nations Human Rights Council, Mehran Marri, spoke about Pakistan’s reaction to Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s powerful statement referring to the oppression of the Baloch people. Since Independence Day, Modi has called attention to the gross human rights abuses in Balochistan at the hands of the Pakistani government. Marri announced his gratitude to Modi for shining a light on the plight of the Baloch. However, in response to this, Pakistan has already intensified military operations in the region and falsely alleges that India is trying to foment terrorism. Marri states that Pakistan is now concerned that this renewed attention on the case will lead to some form of reaction by the international community.
Below is an article published by the Times of India:
Pakistan is terrified since Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken up the cause of the Baloch people who are being oppressed by the Pakistan government and military, said Mehran Marri, the Baloch Representative at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), to ANI today.
"Pakistan's military and establishment is having chills running down their spine since
PM Modi spoke about Balochistan. They have intensified military operations in many Baloch areas in recent weeks," Marri said.
The Baloch leader is referring to PM Modi stepping up the pressure on Pakistan since Independence Day, when he began to highlight human rights abuses in the beleaguered Pakistani province of Balochistan and in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). He also spoke about how last week Pakistani forces launched a new wave of military operations across Balochistan, attacking and abducting civilians.
"Myself and the Baloch nation are very grateful to India for raising the issue of Balochistan, especially on Aug 15 and then again as recently as two days ago in the UNHRC, so we are very optimistic," Marri said.
The Baloch people, he added, believe and see India as being " very serious" about addressing the issue of Balochistan and human rights violations that Pakistan is committing there.
"The US is well aware of the connivance and dirty games that Pakistan's agencies and its military play in Balochistan. We will request the US Govt to rethink their policy regarding Pakistan and take a step in the same direction as India and Afghanistan have taken," the Baloch leader said.
Earlier this week, India raised the issue of Pakistan's rights abuses at the UNHRC.
"Pakistan is characterized by authoritarianism, absence of democratic norms and widespread human rights violations across the country, including Balochistan," India said.
"It will be in the fitness of things if Pakistan focuses its energies on improving the human rights situation within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," said Ajit Kumar India's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, said in a statement at the 33rd Session of the UNHRC at Geneva, earlier this week.
Pakistan, has claimed that PM Modi's comment on Balochistan is proof of New Delhi's interference in the province. His comment "only proves Pakistan's contention that India, through its main intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has been fomenting terrorism in Balochistan", said the Pakistan Prime Minister's Adviser on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz, last month.
Pakistan said Modi was trying to divert world attention from the "grim tragedy" that has been unfolding in Kashmir over the past five weeks. He was referring to the violence and unrest in Kashmir since July when security forces killed terrorist Buthan Wani.
Close to a 100 people have died in the unrest in Kashmir, and Pakistan has alleged human rights abuses there by the Indian Army that uses pellet guns, which badly maim.
