Baloch Warna

Hundreds of Baloch rally in Karachi against media blackout in Balochistan, BNF announced to boycott Pakistani media

The rally called for UN intervention in Balochistan and urged the international media to break their ‘criminal silence’ on Pakistani state atrocities in Balochistan. Large numbers of Baloch women, children, and elderly have participated in a precession against military operations in Balochistan and media’s failure to report about Baloch genocide by Pakistan. The rally set off from Ath Chowk in Lyari, also known as Nawab Bugti Chowk, and marched all the way to Karachi Press Club. The Baloch National Front, an alliance of BSO-Azad and BNM, had given the call for the rally. The participants of rally were carrying banners, placards and flags of Balochistan. They chanted slogans against Pakistan and its security agencies. They also painted walls and shutters of closed shops with graffiti including: “BALOCH WANT FREEDOM, NO VOTE NO ELECTION AND STOP BALOCH GENOCIDE.” The rally transformed into a huge demonstration after they reached to the Press Club. Addressing the gathering the female activists of BSO-Azad demanded the international media to fulfil their journalistic responsibilities in Balochistan instead of distorting the facts. They demanded to know the whereabouts of thousands of abducted Baloch activists and why the international media and international human rights organisations were ‘criminally silent’ on gross human rights violations in Balochistan. They said despite state’s [Pakistan’s] genocidal policies and the silence of international media and human rights organisations, the Baloch people’s struggle over the years has taken the form of a strong national struggle for independent Balochistan. “The Baloch freedom movement has gained international recognition,” The protester claimed.