‘Human Rights Defenders’ in Balochistan are ‘Defenceless’;

Lawlessness prevails in the less-privileged province: HRCP

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed serious concerns regarding the threats against human right defenders in Balochistan. “It is an open secret that lawlessness prevails across the province already but now the defenders of the helpless people are also being targeted and intimidated as well,” says the recently released report of HRCP titled ‘Balochistan: Blinkered Slide into Chaos’.

“The most of the massacres which are widespread are happening near Makran’s four districts which are called the worst affected areas,” it adds.

“Mostly young and unemployed youth have been targeted not on the bases of religion, ethnicity and race but on the basis of difference in political views they have and support,” says the report.

HRCP is having deep anger at killing of their two activists, Saddique Edo and Naeem Sabir in 2011 but since then no effort has been made to bring the perpetrator to justice and no law enforcement agencies like police or Frontier Copse (FC) bother to take action. An FIR has also been lodged but of no avail because no one seems to take the matter seriously.

“It is reportedly said that Abid Saleem was picked up from Chitkar Bazaar in Panjgur on January 23, 2011 together with five other men but later on only one of them returned alive who also succumbed to his injuries – as he had several scars of torture on his body and was shot in the throat,” HRCP adds.

Different political figures do not take any action because they are helpless and they do not have right or authority in this province. Each and every decision is taken by the government agents. In short, no law is present which should be applied to provide justice to common people. “The acute climate of fear of kidnapping, targeting, intimidating and enforced disappearance has made the life of people unbearable to live. Those who witnessed the people being abducted cannot tell and share the secret with anyone for fear of becoming a victim themselves,” the HRCP report concludes stating the worst lawlessness prevalent in the province.