Afghan politician urges UNHRC to take notice of Baloch and Pashtun plight

GENEVA: The former governor of Afghanistan’s Ghaur province Dr Abdullah Haiwad, has highlighted the Pakistani state atrocities against Baloch and Pashtun nations at UNHRC in Geneva on Monday.

Speaking at the 43rd session of UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Dr Abdullah Haiwad has urged the Human Rights Council to send their delegates to Balochistan to witness and get first-hand information about what is happening in Balochistan. He also raised the issue of how Pakistani forces are abducting and killing the Pashtuns.

He started his intervention by saying, “I did not come with a piece of paper today. I came with the plight of tens of millions of Pashtuns and Baloch living under the oppression in Pakistan. Since 1948, when Balochistan was occupied by Pakistan hundreds and thousands of Baloch have been abducted, mutilated and killed by the Pakistani government and their plight have never been addressed by the United Nations. Pashtuns are similarly under the oppression of the Pakistani government. Thousands and thousands of Pashtuns have been abducted and they have been killed, they have been discarded and nobody has listened to the plight of the Pashtuns.”

He explained Pakistani state has increased its spate of abductions and killings of Baloch and Pashtuns. “Recently there’s been a surge of attacks on Pashtuns and Baloch in Waziristan and other parts of Pashtunistan as well as in occupied Balochistan in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan. Unfortunately, this voice has never been heard and this plight has never been raised. I urge the Human Rights Council to address this issue more seriously to send the delegates to Balochistan and Pashtunistan to see for themselves what the problem is and what is happening.” Dr Haiwad added.