The Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore became a flashpoint for Balochistan’s human rights nightmare, where Pakistani social organizations and activists voiced deep apprehension over military atrocities against the Baloch people. Local media reports paint a province gripped by fear, with human rights groups sounding alarms ignored by the powers that be.
BYC’s Sammy Din Baloch seized the opportunity, holding crucial talks with UN officials to expose curbs on free speech and assembly. He met Gina Romero, Reem Alsalem, and Ed O’Donovan, outlining how peaceful gatherings are crushed, women face targeted violence, and children vanish into state custody under false pretenses.
Specific cases underscored the peril: activists Mahrang, Bebo, and Guljadi Baloch endure threats, arbitrary arrests, and persecution. The UN envoys committed to raising these at global platforms, validating the activists’ pleas.
BNP Chairman Sardar Akhtar Mengal delivered a searing address, decrying the security apparatus that terrifies civilians while Baloch fighters are hailed as saviors. He revisited broken pacts like the 1948 Kalat agreement, lamenting eroded political space in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Abdul Malik Baloch, ex-chief minister, shared firsthand accounts from his constituency—families torn by disappearances. He called for immediate political engagement, warning that securitizing the issue only fuels unrest.
Tensions peaked with Rana Sanaullah’s remarks linking abductions to counter-terrorism, sparking outrage and a mass walkout. This conference crystallizes Balochistan’s plight: a humanitarian emergency demanding not suppression, but sincere negotiation and justice to heal deep wounds.