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The Baloch National Movement (BNM) held a debate in the British Parliament, highlighting the ongoing human rights abuse in Balochistan.
The Member of Parliament John McDonnell hosted the debate on the occasion of International Human Rights Day. The debate focused on the severe repression faced by the Baloch people at the hands of the Pakistani state. Speakers at the event called for immediate international action to address the widespread human rights violations, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other forms of state repression. The participants emphasized the urgent need for global intervention to end these atrocities and ensure justice for the Baloch nation. The debate featured prominent figures, including John McDonnell MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Richard Burgon MP, BNM Chairman Naseem Baloch, Sami Deen Baloch, Sabiha Baloch, Naseer Dashti, Faheem Baloch, and Saleem Elahi Baloch. John McDonnell, who hosted the event, stressed that despite the UK's close ties with Pakistan, the government must not remain silent in the face of the ongoing violations in Balochistan. He urged fellow MPs to advocate for justice on behalf of the Baloch people. Naseem Baloch, Chairman of the BNM and a two-time victim of enforced disappearance by the Pakistani military shared his personal account of survival in Pakistani torture cells. He revealed that his belief in the independence of Balochistan was the only thing that kept him alive. He also highlighted the scale of the oppression, noting that thousands of Baloch men and women have faced similar atrocities. BNM Foreign Secretary Faheem Baloch spoke about the deep and lasting impact of enforced disappearances on the families of victims, reaffirming the Baloch people's unyielding determination to pursue freedom despite the ongoing violence. Naseer Dashti, a BNM leader, focused on the illegal annexation of Balochistan and the role of China in the region through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He called for global accountability for both Pakistan and China's actions in Balochistan. Sami Deen Baloch, a key figure in the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), recounted his family's struggles following his father's disappearance and the dangers that families face when seeking justice. He underscored the need for international solidarity to combat the ongoing atrocities against the Baloch nation. Sabiha Baloch, a leader of the BYC, discussed the severe deprivation of basic rights in Balochistan and the brutal suppression of peaceful activists, aided by Chinese financial involvement. She called for an international fact-finding mission to investigate and address the region's human rights violations. Saleem Elahi Baloch shared the heartbreaking story of his brother, Zahid Baloch, a student leader who was forcibly disappeared. He made an emotional appeal to the international community to help end the widespread practice of enforced disappearances in Balochistan. Jeremy Corbyn MP emphasized the importance of raising global awareness about the atrocities in Balochistan and fostering solidarity with oppressed communities worldwide. (ANI)
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