The extrajudicial killings of three prominent Baloch Lawyers, one remains abducted and one forced to take political asylum

 

Madam, Mary Aileen Bacalso, chair of the conference and distinguished audience, on behalf of the International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (IVBMP) Canada Chapter. I set here in front of you today to not only seek justice for Baloch people who have seen only injustice; But I also want to remind us that it is our duty to treat each other with the respect that each and every human being deserves, and at any moment we see that respect is lacking, then it is our duty as a fellow human being to act and make sure that respect is restored. That is why today I would like to draw your attention about three prominent Baloch human rights defenders; who have been tirelessly and voluntarily acting as defense councils for Baloch. Due to this reason, they have been victims of extrajudicial killings, the whereabouts of one is unknown and one was forced to take political asylum in Norway. Murder alone is a wicked act, but murder without reason by a government who pretends to support human rights is treason to the human rights laws that the United Nations prides its self on.

On August 18^th, 2010 a well-known Baloch lawyer, Zaman Khan Marri, was abducted by Pakistani security forces from Quetta, capital of Balochistan, as he was returning home from work. Qazi Faez Isa, Chief Justice of the Baluchistan High Court (B.H.C.), expressing deep concern issued a suo motto notice to free Mr. Marri. In spite of the Balochistan High Court’s concerns Mr. Marri was killed on September 5^th, 2010 while in the custody of Pakistani security forces. He received a bullet in his head and his body bore torture marks. His body was thrown in the town of Mastung, which is 50 KMs from Quetta.

 

Ali Sher Kurd, another lawyer from the town of Mach, was kidnapped by security forces on September 21, 2010 while he was visiting a relative house at Quetta. Baz Mohammad Kakar, President of Balochistan Bar Association, had the following words after the fact: “We were already on strike for safe recovery of Ali Sher Kurd and Mir Ahmed Mirwani advocate but now we will extend our protest”. 

On June 17^th 2010, The Secretary General of Jhalawan Bar Association Munir Ahmed Mirwani was abducted at gun point by Pakistani Intelligence. Mr. Munir Mirwani was having a meal on the road side restaurant in his home town District Khuzdar, Balochistan.

Balochistan Bar Association went on strike throughout Balochistan in support of their abducted colleague. Because enormous support of the lawyers the Balochistan Courts had no choice but to stop the hearing cases because the lawyers were absent.  The President of Balochistan Bar Association expressed his grave concern by saying ‘Lawyer Munir Ahmed Mirwani is still missing and in such circumstances there is a possibility that the culprits will throw his body soon without fear of being punished”.

On July 14^th, 2010 Balochistan Supreme court senior lawyer, an intellectual, senator, moderate, secular and Baloch leaders former Chairman of Baloch Students Organizations became victims of extrajudicial killing. He was gunned down by Pakistani state agencies agents in Quetta.

On April 3^rd, 2009 Kachkol Ali, an Advocate and senior lawyer from the former Balochistan Assembly and as an opposition leader and a friend of mine, university fellow and from my home town district Panjgur was sitting in his office chamber at district Turbat with his three clients. This included prominent Baloch leaders, Mir Gulam Mohammed Baloch, Lala Munir Baloch and Sher Mohammed Baloch when Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) abducted all three Baloch leaders at gun point. On April 8^th, 2009 all three abducted Baloch leaders’ decomposed bodies were discovered about 35 kilometres from Turbat. Since Mr. Kachkol Ali’s life has been under constant threat as he boldly highlighted state human rights abuses nationally and internationally. He was forced to take political asylum in Norway last October 2010. 

Pakistan: Judiciary’s Role in Balochistan

Under the so-called Pakistan independent judicial system the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Office and International Human Rights Organizations should be aware that Baloch people are extra-judiciously killed, kidnapped and have been victims of enforced disappearance.  Since 2005, the 5^th military operation started against the Baloch people in Balochistan. There are 1, 100 documented missing Baloch persons and more than 8, 000 missing Baloch throughout Balochistan, but its judiciary is turning a blind eye against their misery. 

A prominent Baloch lawyer, Munir Mirwani, General Secretary of Jehlawan Bar Association has been kept under custody of security forces from day one of his forceful abduction from his hometown Khuzdar. His relatives and loved ones till today have no idea of their whereabouts. Even the Chief Justice of Balochistan, high court has taken motto action but all is in vein because Pakistan is a banana republic state, it does not appreciate the law of the land and the constitution. Whereas the fundamental rights are enshrined in constitutions and the apex court is the guardian of the constitution. Although, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Ahamed Chaudhry has made a commitment in the course of movement of restoration of Judiciary, but after the restoration   even Chief Justice could not honor his own words and has let citizens down.  He simply constituted a cosmetic and toothless commission for recovery of missing persons to save his own skin.

Slow motion genocide of Baloch continues 

Madam chair, Mary Aileen Bacalso , according to the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights Act, article No. 3 “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.” But it appears that for the past six decades Baloch people do not fall into the scope of everyone. Pakistan’s security forces and establishment have formulated a strategic “State policy of terrorism” to exterminate and eliminate the Baloch nation. Therefore, the gradual genocide of Baloch, including professionals such as lawyers, doctors, teachers, intellectual, leaders, students and activists have continuously taken place in Balochistan. Pakistan’s state secret agencies and security forces have adopted a policy of cold blooded, summary executions of Baloch. Lawyers Zaman Khan Marri and Ali Sher Kurd follow as prominent examples of this injustice. Pakistan’s injustice and brutality has not only been directed towards Baloch people, but it has been a direct attack on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Act. Respected audience, it may not be evident, but let me make it clear that Pakistan has been directly challenging the United Nations by continuously breaking numerous Human Rights Laws and having no regard to human life. So the International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons appeals to the United Nations, International Human Rights Organizations and International Community to please act, Let us stop Pakistan’s ongoing systematic and gradual genocide in Balochistan. Let us safeguard and protect the human rights of the Baloch, and simultaneously begin a perpetual process that can help safeguard and protect the human rights of all people who are suffering from injustice around the world.

Thank You 

By Aziz Baloch

Coordinator

International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (Canada Chapters)