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The Free Balochistan Movement on May 28 held protests in Germany, the UK and the Netherlands to mark 'Aashrokh' - the day of mourning in Balochistan.
The Free Balochistan Movement activists and members of the Baloch community gathered outside the central station of Hanover in Germany, 10 Downing Street in London and Dam Square in the Netherlands to hold protest against Pakistan's nuclear tests in Balochistan which were conducted on 28 May 1998. The protestors were carrying various banners and placards which mentioned various slogans regarding May 28 nuke tests. Baloch leaders including Abu Bakr Baloch, Daniyal Baloch, Beebagr Baloch, Abdul Khaliq, Khudadad Baloch and Muhammad Bakhsh Raji Baloch spoke during a protest held in Germany to highlight the after-effects of Pakistan's nuclear tests on the residents of Chaghai and rest of Balochistan. In their speeches, the speakers strongly condemned Pakistan's nuclear tests in Balochistan. They further said that civilised and democratic nations of the world are destroying their nuclear facilities by locking them for determined purposes, while Pakistan is building more nuclear weapons to show its military power and war frenzy, which is a matter of concern and threat to peace in the region. They said that Balochistan's Chaghai region is suffering from the effects of radiation since nuclear tests were carried out. Agriculture is destroyed, due to climate change there has been no rainfall, newborn children suffer from various congenital diseases and disabilities, infectious diseases are also prevalent in the region and most of all the people there are suffering from cancer and unknown dangerous diseases. The nuclear test site remains off-limit to media and international observers and no independent surveys have been carried out to ascertain the cause of the growing diseases in the region. The Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) Netherlands branch held a protest in Dam Square on May 28 against Pakistan's nuclear tests on Baloch soil on the same day in 1998. The FBM activists chanted slogans against Pakistan and termed its nuclear weapons "anti-humanity and anti-peace" adding that Pakistan has been blackmailing the world in the name of its dirty nukes. Speaking at this protest, the speakers said that Pakistan has no interest in what has happened to the Baloch nation and its land and air environment due to nuclear weapons experiments. However, Pakistan continues to blackmail the world at times of economic crises that if Pakistan is not financially supported its nuclear weapons will fall into the hands of religious extremists. Pakistan's finance minister always mentions in his press briefings and repeats the threat that other countries should help Pakistan to overcome its economic crisis because a country with nuclear weapons cannot afford such an economic crisis, the speakers said. Free Balochistan Movement - UK Branch also organised a protest demonstration outside the UK PM's official residence at 10 Downing Street on Sunday. A large number of FBM members from London and other cities in the UK attended the protest, the protesters carried flags of Balochistan, banners and placards. They also chanted slogans against ongoing Human Rights violations by Pakistan in Balochistan.The FBM protesters said that Pakistan's nuclear weapons were a threat to world peace and that the world must take this seriously and strip Pakistan of its nuclear weapons before they fall into the wrong hands. The Baloch protesters also urged the UK to stop supporting Pakistan as the foreign aid Pakistan receives from International Community is being used against the Baloch people. In a statement to the media, the FBM said it was the responsibility of the civilised world to put pressure on Pakistan to stop making more nuclear weapons and destroy the previous ones as it is an irresponsible state that continues to commit crimes against humanity in Balochistan. "As long as an economically unstable, chaotic and irresponsible country like Pakistan has such dangerous nuclear weapons, world peace will remain in danger. A reckless Pakistani state suffering from an economic crisis and political instability can sell its nuclear weapons to terrorists at any time," the statement said. The Free Balochistan Movement in its statement urged the International community to take a clear stand on Pakistan's nuclear weapons and put condition any loan or grant to Pakistan on giving up its nuclear capability and play its part in disarming Pakistan so that regional and world peace is maintained. (ANI)
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