Balochistan: Media ban forces poor newspaper sellers to sleep empty stomach

QUETTA:  A newsagent in Khuzdar city of Balochistan made a passionate appeal from parties in Balochistan conflict to lift the ban on newspapers because it is badly affecting the lives of poor newspaper seller.

Mr Mohammad Siddique Moosiani on Tuesday said, “We cannot even buy milk for our children. We have been doing this job (selling newspapers) from past twenty years and we have no other sources of income. This issue should be resolved immediately otherwise our children will die of the hanger.”

In his press statement, he said that in Khuzdar city there are around 40 Newsvendors and all of whom were now unemployed. “Some of them have left nothing to eat and they forced to sleep empty stomach due to this boycott of newspapers. We were hoping that this issue will soon be resolved but it been around two months now and nobody seems interested in this matter.”

He appeals from all stakeholder of Balochistan conflict to have mercy on them [poor newspaper sellers) and allow to them have their jobs back. He said, otherwise, their children will starve to death because they cannot afford to feed them anymore.

In October 2017 the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) started an anti-media campaign and announced to boycott newspapers in Balochistan. They allege that Newspapers are being used as a tool as ‘propaganda tool by Pakistan government and military’.

The other two main armed resistance groups the Baloch Liberation Army and the Baloch Republican Army, however, did not back the media boycott.

In early December the Baloch Liberation Army in a statement said they do support attacks against news outlets and the anti-media campaign.

The BLA in their statement said, “Journalists in Balochistan despite immense pressure from Pakistani state forces have refused to conspire against Baloch struggle and refrained from working for the state against Baloch freedom struggle. Balochistan is one of the dangerous places in the world for journalists because they have been under continuous pressure and threatened with dire consequences by Pakistani state apparatus.

“Pakistani state army has killed many Baloch journalists from fulfilling their journalistic responsibilities. Some of whom include Javid Nasir Rind, Siddique Eddo, Ilyas Nazar, Lala Hameed, Haji Abdul Razzaq, Munir Shakir and several others.”

The BLA also said in their statement that they understand journalists in Balochistan are under extreme pressure, but we expect the journalists to be honest to their profession and report facts so that public becomes aware of the truth. The Baloch Liberation Army said their ideal was not Pakistani state as they were struggling for a free and democratic Balochistan hence they will not use their energy against journalists and other innocent professionals in Balochistan.

However, the newspapers’ boycott by BLF continues despite that many poor Baloch newsvendors become jobless. Many Balochistan based local journalists have also expressed their anger against the media boycott and criticised the Baloch armed group for forcing newspapers and press clubs to shut down.