Subject: Human Rights Violations in Balochistan by Pakistani State

Dear Sir/Madam,

On behalf of people of Balochistan and Four Party Baloch Alliance, we would like to draw your attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in (Pakistani) Balochistan where arrests, kidnappings, disappearances and illegal detention of Baloch students, political workers and leaders by Pakistani police and military intelligence agencies, including Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) IB, are surpassing all limits.

Ongoing Military Operation

After committing a series of human rights violations in the deprived and backward province of Balochistan, Pakistan military has launched a military operation against innocent civilians and progressive elements of Balochistan.

On 18th December 2005, Pakistan Army started a full-fledged operation in entire Balochistan and particularly in districts Kohlu and Dera Bugt that are rich in natural-resources. The people there are not opposed to development but against the exploitation of these natural resources without benefit to local communities. They also oppose the establishment of military bases (cantonments) on their territory. By using force against the villagers, the Pakistan army is trying to compel them to vacate their homes to open this area for the exploitation of its rich oil and gas resources.

Pakistan Air Force fighterjets, Army gunship helicopters and heavy artillery is being used against the unarmed innocents and nomads of these areas. More than one hundred deaths have been reported which include mostly women and children. For pictures and details, please visit www.balochvoice.com.

Political Victimisation

The following are some examples of victimization:

Abdul Nabi Bungulzai (former Chairman of Baloch Students Organization, a highly educated and progressive political leader of Balochistan) was arrested in February 2001 along with 11 others. After being inhumanly tortured, he is being kept under detention without any trial and is now imprisoned in Quetta Central jail.

Ali Asghar Bangulzai, was kidnapped on 18th October, 2001 by ISI, his family was threatened against approaching any Court. Still his disappearance, his family and children have protested in front of the Quetta Press Club for the last eight months. His whereabouts are still unknown. For more detail; http://www.bso-na.org

Hafiz Saeed ur Rehman Bangulzai’s whereabouts are unknown after his kidnapping and disappearance in 2002.

Gwahram Baloch s/o Saleh Mohammad was abducted on 8th August, 2004 by Military Intelligence and ISI personnel. He is still missing.

On 25 March 2005, students and political activists Dr. Imdad Baloch
(chairman of Baloch Students Organization or BSO), Dr. Allah Nazar (former
Chairman of BSO), Dr. Yousuf (Press Secretary of BSO), Ghulam Rasool
(member Central Committee of BSO), Dr. Naseem (ex- member Central Committee of BSO), AIi Nawaz and Akhtar Nadeem were detained and taken to ISI secret torture cells and severely tortured continuously for five months.

Dr Allah Nazar Baloch (Former Chairmen of BSO, a MBBS Doctor) kidnapped by ISI and Karachi police on 25th March, disappeared for six months. Recovered from Multan, he is detained in Quetta Central jail.

In August 2005 Majid Samad and fourteen members of BSO were arrested in Turbat, they were mercilessly tortured by army intelligence agencies and are still under illegal detention.

On 22nd September 2005, Abid Saleh, younger brother of abducted Gwahram Baloch was kidnapped by army and still missing.

On 15th November 2005, a leading poet and writer in Balochi Language and Medical practitioner Dr. Hanif Sharif was detained by Army units. His whereabouts are not known to his friends and family.

On 23 November 2005, Aslam Gorgnadi, Master Saeed and Khuda Bux Bizenjo were forcefully taken away by army units along with their counsel Advocate Sadiq Raisani from the High Court Building despite the court orders to release them after their two years detention without trial.

These are just a few cases that have been highlighted by international press. There are many others that are yet to be disclosed. The refusal to release Baloch illegal detainees is a typical example of the arrogant mindset of an occupying army. These are acts of violation against Pakistan’s constitutional provisions and are crimes against humanity.

The new waves of illegal arrests, kidnappings, detentions and tortures of Baloch people by the Pakistan Government is coupled with other attempts to destabilize Balochistan’s social and political fabric, by:

--Fomenting inter-tribal and intra-tribal conflicts.

--Patronizing antisocial and criminal elements in Balochistan. This is being done throughout Balochistan by recruiting antisocial elements and convicted criminals in the international drug trafficking business run by Pakistan Army, ISI and ANF and Coast Guard. These antisocial elements and hired drug traffickers are armed and have unlimited support of government secret agencies, are acting as warlords. These criminal elements are also being elected in so-called general and local elections to political positions and are being portrayed as the representative of the Baloch nation. These acts on behalf of Pakistan army are creating social anarchy and upheavals in Baloch society.

-- Active patronage, funding, housing, weapons, special permits to the Taliban to reside in towns and particularly in Quetta, and to open new religious schools for recruitment of Taliban As a result, these extreme religious ideologies are being artificially imposed on a basically secular oriented Baloch society.

Attacks on Political Leaders

Balochistan National Party (BNP) will also like to draw your kind attention towards the humiliating acts against the Baloch political leadership by the Pakistani army and its agents.

On 17th March 2005, when the Pakistani army launched a military operation against the innocent Baloch of Dera Bugti, they directly targeted the residence of Nawab Akber Khan Bugti (President of Jamhoori Watan Party). More then 70 innocent children and women of Hindu Baloch religious minority, living near Dera Bugti’s residence were killed. Dera Bugti region is still surrounded by thousands of heavily armed army units.

In October 2005, agents of Pakistan Army intelligence services fired rockets and other lethal ammunition on the residence of Sardar Attaullah Mengal (Chief Patron of Balochistan National Party and President of Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement) in Wadh District of Khuzdar in south central Balochistan. The residence and hometown of Sardar Mengal and Akhtar Mengal (President of Balochistan National Party) is still surrounded by paramilitary forces in large numbers.

Developing Balochistan?

Balochistan Provincial Assembly on 23 September 2003 unanimously passed a resolution against the construction of Army cantonments in three resource-rich districts of Balochistan (Dera Bugti, Kohlu and Gwadar), and demanded that money allocated for establishment of these military bases be used instead for the establishment of schools, colleges, and the socio-economic development of province.

The construction of army cantonments and the deployment of thousands of para-military forces throughout Balochistan is presenting a picture of siege and has created a sense of insecurity among Baloch people. Islamabad is treating Balochistan as a Garrison province. There are four mega Military Cantonments, 52 Para-Military cantonments, five Navel bases including Jinnah navel base in Gwadar, and six major Air Force bases. There are also three nuclear testing sites and six missile testing ranges in Balochistan.

Appeal

The acts of terror and humiliation and a continuum of state terrorism will not only increase the ever present tension and hatred between Baloch people and Pakistani police state, but it could lead to a point where a bloody confrontation between Baloch and the Pakistani state is inevitable, resulting in the loss of life and properties of defenseless Baloch people.

The Pakistan army is continuously and contemptuously ignoring the appeals of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Amnesty International and other human right groups for the release of illegal detainees. The Baloch people demand their political, economic and social rights, guaranteed by the Pakistan constitution, and international human rights laws, instruments and declarations.

Immediate intervention by western powers in general and by your respective Government in particular will save Baloch lives and prevent the kind of genocide of the Baloch people by the Pakistani army that the world witnessed in East Pakistan during 1971.

The Balochistan National Party (BNP) appeals to your government to please intervene to help to stop these human right violations by the Pakistani army and its agents before it is too late.

Please raise this issue in all international forums including the United Nations, the European Union and the Commonwealth. The people of Balochistan will be highly obliged. The Balochistan National Party (BNP) highly appreciates your kind immediate attention and positive intervention in this matter.

Thanking you in anticipation,

From Members Senate of Pakistan

1. Senator Sanaullah Baloch
Member Senate of Pakistan
On behalf of Balochistan National Party

2. Senator Mohammed Aslam Buledi
Member Senate of Pakistan
On behalf of National Party

3. Senator Amanullah Kanrani
Member Senate of Pakistan
On behalf of Jamoori Watan Party

From Members of Balochistan provincial Assembly

4. Mr. Kachkol Ali Baloch
Leader of Opposition
Balochistan Provincial Assembly

5. Mr. Nawbzada Balach khan Marri
Member, Balochistan Provincial Assembly
6. Mr. Mohammed Akbar Mengal
Member, Balochistan Provincial Assembly
7. Mr. Akhatar Hussain lango
Member, Balochistan Provincial Assembly
8. Mr. Haji Jummah Khan Bugti
Member, Balochistan Provincial Assembly
9. Mr. Saleem koso
Member, Balochistan Provincial Assembly
10. Mr. Mumtaz shah
Member, Balochistan Provincial Assembly
11. Mr. Jan Mohammed Buledi
Member, Balochistan Provincial Assembly
12. Mr. Rhamat Baloch
Member, Balochistan Provincial Assembly
13. Mrs. Dr Shama Ishaque Baloch
Member, Balochistan Provincial Assembly

Dated: 02nd January 2006
Quetta, Balochistan (Pakistan)