‘Stop genocide’: Baloch protesters in Germany raise concern over atrocities being committed in Pakistan

Baloch activists gathered in Bremen, Germany, to protest what they described as a worsening human rights crisis in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, accusing Pakistani authorities of enforced disappearances, custodial killings and collective punishment.

The demonstration, organized by the Baloch National Movement, called on the international community and human rights organizations to intervene, citing new allegations of military raids and violations against civilians in the Gwadar region.Addressing the gathering, National Bank of Pakistan spokespersons claimed that Pakistani authorities are carrying out widespread collective punishment against the people of Balochistan. They claimed that enforced disappearances and killings in custody have become routine, while homes have been demolished and families forcibly displaced.The group also highlighted what it described as the psychological impact of enforced disappearance on families.They also pointed out that the uncertainty resulting from enforced disappearances develops into deep psychological trauma. It is no longer just the issue of the disappeared individual, but the suffering of entire families. Mothers wait daily for any news, fathers live under intense psychological pressure and helplessness, while children grow up in fear and emotional instability.

“Life does not remain normal, and even routine daily activities become difficult.”According to the organization, families of political activists face ongoing pressures that go beyond the disappearance of their relatives.“The speakers further stressed that based solely on an individual’s political activities or affiliations, their family members are not only subjected to psychological, financial and social harm, but in some cases, they are also killed to intensify pressure and spread fear within the Baloch community.

Families of the disappeared are often forced to remain silent; However, they continue to receive the bodies of their loved ones who were killed while in the custody of the Pakistani army.”The National Bank of Pakistan also alleged that over the past two days, the Pakistani Army carried out repeated raids in Banawan village and its surrounding areas in Gwadar District, demolishing several houses and subjecting more than 60 people to enforced disappearance.

It also claimed that five of those who disappeared were later killed in detention and their bodies dumped.Describing the broader situation in the province, the organization said that Balochistan has become increasingly isolated from international scrutiny.“This situation reflects the general situation of Balochistan, which has turned into a media black hole. News from Balochistan rarely reaches the international press, allowing the Pakistani state to violate human rights with absolute impunity,” the NRB stated.The group claimed that the Pakistani army has repeatedly targeted Banawan in recent years, with many young men disappearing from the area for long periods.It further claimed that military operations along the Gwadar coastal belt were motivated not only by efforts to counter the Baloch insurgency but also by an attempt to tighten control over what it described as lucrative international smuggling routes.“The military’s smuggling interests along the coast are the main driver of this business.

While the state frames these measures as a response to the Baloch liberation movement, this is only one dimension; He noted that it primarily serves as a convenient pretext for the Pakistani army.The National Bank of Pakistan also claimed that similar tactics had previously been used in villages along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor route, including repeated raids, forced disappearances, house burnings and sexual violence, resulting in the displacement of residents from dozens of villages.At the conclusion of the protest, the organization appealed to neighboring countries, the international community and human rights organizations to recognize what it described as the deteriorating situation in Balochistan and take steps to stop the “genocide of the Baloch nation.”Pakistan has consistently rejected allegations of systematic human rights violations in Balochistan, stressing that its security operations target armed groups involved in insurgency and terrorism in the province.