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Pakistan has intensified its efforts to obstruct the Baloch National Gathering, scheduled to be held on July 28, to show solidarity with the Baloch people and highlight the issues they face.
Pakistani defence forces have repeatedly stopped the representatives of the Baloch Solidarity Committee, popularly known as the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, from collecting funds, spreading awareness, holding meetings or rallies or distributing pamphlets of the Machi. In a video shared on 'X', prominent human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari alleged that volunteers and the organisers of the Machi are being targeted in several areas and the organisers are not being allowed to collect funds. "The Baloch National Gathering is being organised. But unfortunately, the administration has learned nothing from its past atrocities. Even today, the organisers of the gathering are not allowed to gather funds or participate in the event. The volunteers and the organisers of the Machi are being targeted in several areas like Awaran, Khuzdar and DG Khan. The Baloch women are specifically targeted, they are arrested, and their families are threatened to stop them from participating in this national gathering," Mazari stated. https://x.com/ImaanZHazir/status/1816759838178967925 In her statement, the human rights lawyer further urged her countrymen to stand with their Baloch brethren, help them raise their voice against the Pakistani administration and show solidarity with them against the Pakistani administration. In a separate incident, a law student at Lahore's Punjab University, Sadia Baloch, alleged that several officials harassed her family members, forcing them to vacate their house. "When I left for Gwadar from Taunsa to participate in Baloch Raj Machi, the Punjab Government, Dera Ghazi Khan district administration and state institutions have been harassing my house and family members in various ways for four consecutive days by tagging them as terrorists. Fed up with the police harassment, my family had to vacate their private house and take shelter in another house," she posted on X. https://x.com/sadiabalochssb/status/1816802543881629997 The law student further asserted that she has the right to participate in any peaceful political activity. She appealed to human rights activists to raise voices against state crackdowns and abuses being inflicted against the Baloch people. "Participating in any political activity and entering the territory of Balochistan comes under the purview of which prohibited law...?" she asked. "I want to make it clear to the district administration of Dera Ghazi Khan and the state that I have a constitutional and democratic right to participate in any peaceful political activity. If in return for participation in Baloch Raji Machi, you want to violate all morals and the constitution, target women and children in my house, and force us to retreat, then it is not possible because we are peaceful, apolitical people. I appeal to human rights activists and conscious people to raise voices against state crackdowns and abuses against Baloch political workers," Baloch added. (ANI)
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