The Baloch National Movement (BNM) held a protest outside the United Nations headquarters in New York, drawing the international community’s attention to the human rights situation, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan and demanding “immediate action” from the United Nations.
The protest was held on First Avenue between 42nd and 43rd Streets from 12 noon to 3 pm during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
During the protest, demonstrators chanted slogans against human rights violations in Balochistan and carried various placards and banners. A tableau on enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan was also presented, symbolically highlighting these incidents and the situation of their victims.
The protest was addressed by BNM American chapter president Samiullah Baloch and others.
During the protest, the BNM highlighted military offensives in Balochistan, the enforced disappearance of thousands of people, the arrests of Baloch Yakjehti Committee leaders, women and human rights activists, and allegations of collective punishment.
The organisation also included the targeting of women and children, the destruction of homes and the displacement of communities among the main themes of the protest.
The BNM demanded that the United Nations and the international community “end their silence” on the situation in Balochistan and take “immediate action”.
Various slogans were chanted at the protest, including “Free Balochistan” and for an end to enforced disappearances.
The protest took place while Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was addressing the UN General Assembly.
According to the BNM, the New York protest was part of its efforts to highlight the Balochistan issue internationally during the UN General Assembly session.
