Pakistan
Baloch, Sindhis, Pashtun diaspora members in Canada protest against Pakistani military atrocities, enforced disappearances
Baloch, Sindhis and Pashtuns diaspora members in Canada on Saturday hosted a demonstration to express their solidarity with the thousands of Baloch marchers in Pakistan against atrocities, enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killings, torture by the army and other security agencies, media reports said.
The joint protest in Toronto was called by the Baloch Human Rights Council of Canada, World Sindhi Council and Pashtun Council Canada to condemn Islamabad’s apartheid policy of violence and repression against the Baloch, Sindhis and Pashtuns in the strongest terms, ANI reported.
Speakers at the Toronto solidarity rally strongly condemned the discriminatory attitude of the Pakistani Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and the Islamabad police in using excessive force, baton charges, water cannons and mass arrests of students and protesters during a peaceful sit-in outside the National Press Club in Islamabad, the news agency reported.
Addressing the solidarity gathering, speakers highlighted the discriminative and repressive nature of the Pakistani state towards political dissent and exclusively the oppressed nations of Baloch, Sindhis, and Pashtuns.
Pakistan's Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, who appeared to be visibly irked, last week said those supporting Baloch protest should join the 'Baloch militants'.
“Advocates of terrorists in Balochistan should go and join them if they are convinced on the veracity of their issue and fight the state along with them, so that we know where they stand and how to deal with them,” he was quoted as saying by Dawn News during a press conference, alluding to rights activists and journalists standing with the Baloch marchers.
The PM said those protesting in Islamabad are “relatives of those fighting against the state” in Balochistan.
Pakistan police allegedly used tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters in Islamabad last month.
The protesters demonstrated against the alleged enforced disappearances of men in Balochistan province.
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