International campaign against Pakistan’s nuclear weapons

In 1946 United Nations passed its first major resolutions against these weapons. It called for complete elimination of these weapons. Weapons of mass destructions has left their mark forever. The world has never been the same ever since these explosions. With utter disregard to catastrophic impacts of such weapon on humans, environment and other species, many states have invested billions of dollars in development of such weapons.  Russia (10,000-12,600 warheads), the U.S.A (9,613 warheads), France (300 warheads), China (240 warheads) and United Kingdom with 180 warheads are the declared states with nuclear weapons. The race for acquiring such weapon has drawn other states to this quagmire of destruction. India and Israel with 100 and up to 200 nuclear warheads respectively have also joined the nuclear club.

From inception and invention of nuclear bomb, it has been one of the top priorities of most colonial, totalitarian and theocratic states. Even though the cost of acquiring such weapons is huge and the likelihood of using it is almost none but these states have diverted a large proportion of their GDPs in the search for these lethal weapons and their maintenance.  Two rouge states have caused much fear throughout the world. These are the Persian colonial theocratic state of Iran and the Punjabi Muslim colonial theocratic state of Pakistan. As if possession of weapons of mass destruction defines their entire existence.

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was signed in 1968. The main objectives of this treaty were to pursue a policy of nuclear disarmament and stop spread of nuclear weapons. This treaty has not prevented the proliferation of nuclear weapons. To fanatic rulers of Pakistan and Iran it has meant nothing at all. They kept exploiting the people under their domination and used their wealth in developing these weapons. The Punjabi rulers misled the world, by means of constant begging and plundering the natural resources of nations under their occupations such as the Baloch nation, and acquired their weapons of mass destruction.  The Shia clergy rulers of Iran have been trying to do the same. These states are colonial theocratic states. The two defining characteristics of these states are religious fundamentalism and militarism. These states cannot last long without being violent and destructive.

Modern nuclear weapons are thousands of times more destructive and powerful than those which destroyed the two Japanese cities. The people who suffer from the adverse effects of such weapons are the marginalised and dispossessed people. One nation that has suffered immeasurably from these unwanted weapons of mass destruction is the Baloch nation.

Balochistan is situated in central Asia.  Its total area is about 560,000 square kilometres with population of over Seventeen million people. British imperial army invaded Balochistan in 1839. Subsequently, it divided Balochistan in three parts. Currently, the western Balochistan is under illegal occupation of Persian theocratic rulers of Iran. The eastern part of Balochistan regained its independence from Britain on 11 August 1947, the news of which was reported in the New York Times on 12 August 1947. The newly forged British colonial construction, the state of Pakistan (the land of cleans!), ordered its army to invade eastern Balochistan on 27 March 1948 and annexed Balochistan by force to its territory. Punjabi army, clergy and commercial rulers of Pakistan since illegal occupation of eastern Balochistan have carried out five major military operations, which were in 1948, 1958, 1962, 1973-77 and 2002 that is still in its full swing. Thousands of Baloch political and human rights and civilian have been abducted and disappeared, killed and displaced in the course of these military offences.

In addition, Panjabi army of Pakistan conducted six nuclear tests in Balochistan on 28 May 1998. These nuclear explosions were conducted in Chaghai Mountains in Balochistan and tests were carried out in total secrecy. Baloch were kept in complete darkness during the whole process of construction and testing of these weapons. A very large territory of Balochistan has been affected by these explosions.  There have been many reports of deaths of both human and animals from strange infections and illnesses in this region since these nuclear tests. The Panjabi rulers of Pakistan have permitted no Baloch or independent scientists to study and examine the actual impact of these tests on Baloch people and their environment.

Baloch pro-freedom leader, Hyrbyair Marri (a provincial minister at the time of blasts), issued a strong worded statement as soon as the Pakistani rulers announced the explosion of their “Islamic Bomb” on Baloch soil in 1998. He strongly condemned this criminal act and described “the tests in the name of country’s defence as a death warrant for Baluchistan.” Hyrbyair Marri and his likeminded friends also drafted the Balochistan Liberation Charter and put a separate article in the Charter about these nuclear tests on Baloch soil.

Article 73 of Balochistan Liberation Charter:“Soon after regaining independence immediate action will be taken for the complete removal and eradication of all nuclear activities in Balochistan. Nuclear tests were conducted, against the wishes and without the consent of Baloch people, in Balochistan. They were carried out by Pakistan in the Raaskoh Mountian in Chaagi district of Balochistan on 28th May 1998. An independent investigation, by the United Nations, on the impact of these tests on the people and environment in these regions in Balochistan will be requested. The areas that have been contaminated by radio toxicity will be cleaned and there will be independent scientific research carried out to establish the damage caused on the environment and the effects of radiation on the people living in these regions. The State responsible for this crime against the Baloch people will be held accountable and justice will be sought through the international system of justice. Any state held to account should also be made to pay compensation to those people affected from the disaster.”

Since then the Panjabi Jihadist army has not just stopped their nuclear industry in Balochistan but they have extended their nuclear activities in Balochistan and spread the sale of their destructive booms to other rouge states. Since the blasts Mr Marri has been a leading campaigner against Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and on several occasions he expressed his fear that these weapons sooner or later will fall into the hands of anti-Western religious extremists such at Taliban and ISIS.

Like previous years the Baloch pro-freedom activists and Baloch pro-freedom leader Hyrbyair Marri have announced an international anti-nuclear campaign starting from 19 April till 28 May, 2015. The first protest of this series was held in Dusseldorf city of Germany on 19 April where pro-freedom Baloch activists have gathered carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against Pakistan’s nuclear blast in Balochistan. They demanded from the UN and other international bodies to send experts to Balochistan’s Chaighi region to examine the effects of Pakistani nuclear weapons on local population.

The second protest demonstration was held in Borås city of Sweden on 1^st May where Baloch activists distributed leaflets as part of the awareness campaign against Pakistan’s crimes against humanity in Balochistan.  There will be a protest and awareness campaign event on 12 May in Canada, and on 17 May in London. These are warm up protest to spread awareness about the main protest on 28 May, 2015. On this day 28 May, 1998 Pakistan tested its nuclear bombs in Balochistan without the consent of Baloch people.

Regional observers believe that Pakistan’s breeding ground for the religious extremist organisation and these organisations like Al-Qaeeda and ISIS have are trying to get their hands on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. Recently the extremists groups have increased their activities in Pakistan and many small terrorist organisations have already pledged allegiance to ISIS which make it even easier for the ISIS to find new recruits in Pakistan. There are also reports that many senior officials within the Pakistan army are sympathetic to the anti-western extremist organisations.

The Baloch International campaign and simultaneous protests on 28 of May in different districts of Balochistan and abroad in Germany, Norway, Sweden, Canada and London and Glasgow are aimed at informing the world about the dangers of Pakistani’s nuclear weapons and bringing the plight of Baloch nation to the attention of world community. During the series of protests and on 28 May Baloch activists will also run an online campaign using hashtag: #NoToPakistaniNukes and #28MayBlackDay to highlight the effects of Pakistani nuclear explosions and other human rights violations in Balochistan.

This year the protesters demands will be as follows:

(A) – an immediate halt to all Pakistani nuclear activities in Balochistan

(B) – To allow independent scientists, international organisations and media to study and assess the harmful impacts of Pakistan nuclear tests in Balochistan

(C) To stop military operations and to remove completely all nuclear weapons, facilities and wastes under supervision of the UN authority from Balochistan, and

(D) – They will demand from democratic world including all human rights organisations and the United Nations to send an independent fact finding team to Balochistan to find out about the faith of state enforced disappeared persons, the kill and dump victims and the victims of mass graves which were discovered during the last two years in Balochistan.