Genocide in Balochistan part 3 of 4

This part 3 of 4 begins with a recounting of threats for journalists.

The Baloch problem started in 1833 when the British basically wanted to expand their imperial empire to Afghanistan. And there are two routes to Afghanistan. One is through Balochistan, one is through the Khyber Pass. And they tried it through that route, the other route, and they faced basically drastic humiliation. So the British played the game of basically, I want to lay a railway line, I want to lay a telegraph line along what is now the border between Pakistan and Iran, which was inside Balochistan. And then in 1928, basically Iran took that part and made it part of Iran. And In 1967, Pakistan was formed. Then the other part of Balochistan, in 1947, March 1948, Pakistan mobilized troops, backed fully by the British at the time, and occupied us.

Genocide, a term that evokes images of immense human suffering and the darkest chapters in history, has been an ongoing tragedy in the region of Balochistan. Balochistan, a vast and resource-rich province straddling the borders of Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, has been plagued by a long-standing conflict marked by human rights violations and systematic targeting of its Baloch population. More information

Several members of the Baloch community describe what is happening to people in Balochistan now. “Pakistan is currently engaged in a sinister war against killing Baloch people; that is understandable, because Baloch people are asking for their party to be independent.” The capital of Pakistan, Karachi, is in the Balochistan area. The deep sea port in Karachi on the Arabian Sea is crucial to the Pakistan economy. China’s completion of its Silk Road project needs this port. Balochistan predates the creation of Pakistan in 1947. 

Journalism is a dangerous profession in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan. According to a report by Freedom Network, an independent national media watchdog, at least 53 journalists were murdered in Pakistan from 2012 to 2022. Only in two cases have convictions been obtained. Most journalists concede that “We write what the authorities want us to write. We can’t present the real facts.” Some examples of this violence are detailed in this report. 

#Balochistan #Genocide #Pakistan #Iran #HumanRights

Recorded 2023-08-08    Duration 43:46

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