Free Balochistan Movement rally against China’s involvement in Balochistan

LONDON: The Free Balochistan Movement held a demonstration outside Chinese Embassy and a protest rally in London’s busiest Oxford Street on Sunday.

The demonstration was held at the end of the second week-long round the clock vigil outside Chinese Embassy from 30 October to 6^th of November.

Pro-freedom Baloch leader and head of Free Balochistan Movement Hyrbyair Marri led the rally via busy Oxford Street to Marble Arch London.

The protesters carried placards and banner inscribed with different slogans against China and Pakistan. They chanted full throat slogans urging China to get out of Balochistan and against Pakistani state atrocities in Balochistan.

Protesters also chanted slogans against “China – Pakistan Economic Corridor” which is widely known as CPEC and said that it was a corridor of death and destruction for people of Balochistan.

They said Pakistan intensified its attacks against Baloch people residing on CPEC route and Pakistani forces killed and abducted hundreds of innocent people since China-Pakistan signed the $46 billion-dollar project.

When passing in front of BBC Headquarters, the protester chanted BBC break your silence on Balochistan.

Expressing his disappointment on BBC, a participant said, “This was our second week-long round the clock protest in front of Chinese Embassy only few minutes’ walk from BBC but it seems the BBC has decided to be on the side of oppressors and ignore the voice of oppressed people of Balochistan.”

At Marble Arch, pro-freedom Baloch leader Hyrbyair Marri addressed the participants of the march and urged China to consider the reservations and concerns of Baloch people about its investment in Balochistan. ‘China should not make any deals with government of Pakistan because Pakistan do not represent Balochistan.’

Earlier talking to BBC Pashto outside Chinese Embassy Mr Marri said that if China continues the Gwadar project against the will of Baloch nation, it can face difficulties and problems.

Last year the governments of China and Pakistan signed the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project which aims to connect Balochistan’s Gwadar port to Kashgar in China.

The CPEC will be about 3,000 kilometres long and costs around $50 billion dollar.

Hyrbyair Marri said without consent of Baloch people, the Chinese activities in Balochistan are tantamount to stealing Balochistan’s natural resources.

Mr Marri said China operates in the region since decades but Balochistan and Baloch nation has not benefited from it that is why, ‘Gwadar port project will also not benefit the Baloch nation.’

London based Baloch leader Hyrbyair Marri expressed his mistrust on Pakistan’s claims that CPEC will bring prosperity to Balochistan and added, ‘with vast natural resources and geographic location of Balochistan should have been the most developed region but, he said, ‘Balochistan remains backward because of Pakistani occupation and aggression.’

Other speakers included Abdulla Baloch, Raheem Bandoi, Shabir Baloch and Faiz Baluch.