Mahrang Baloch Calls for UN Help Amid Gwadar Protests
Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch has urged the United Nations and other human rights groups to step in and stop what she describes as a ‘political misadventure’ by the Pakistani state. She accuses the authorities of shutting down the internet, blocking roads, and imposing complete media censorship in Gwadar.
In a statement, Mahrang Baloch said, ‘Dear Baloch Nation and the World, I, along with thousands of others, am still in Gwadar, with the internet shut down, roads blocked, and the city isolated with complete media censorship imposed. Controlled media is continuously used to portray us as violent and unwilling to negotiate. From day one, we have been peaceful despite the state’s brutal crackdown.’
The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has been holding a sit-in in Gwadar for eight days, with thousands participating. They demand justice and the release of arrested protesters. The BYC accuses Pakistan of imposing a curfew, shutting down the internet and mobile networks, and closing roads, highways, shops, and markets, leading to severe shortages of food and medicine.
Mahrang Baloch has called for registering FIRs against forces that used violence in various parts of Balochistan, lifting the blockade, stopping the harassment and arrest of BYC workers, and compensating the public for damages caused by state forces. She warns that the situation is escalating and could lead to a severe humanitarian crisis.
Doubts Revealed
Mahrang Baloch -: Mahrang Baloch is a person who is speaking out for the rights of people in Gwadar, Pakistan. She is an activist, which means she works to bring attention to important issues.
United Nations -: The United Nations, or UN, is a group of countries that work together to solve big problems around the world, like keeping peace and helping people in need.
Gwadar -: Gwadar is a city in Pakistan. It is important because it has a big port where ships come and go, bringing goods and supplies.
Human rights groups -: Human rights groups are organizations that work to make sure everyone is treated fairly and has basic rights, like freedom and safety.
Internet shutdown -: An internet shutdown means that the government has turned off the internet, so people can’t use it to communicate or get information.
Media censorship -: Media censorship means that the government is controlling what news and information can be shared with the public. They might block or change news stories.
Baloch Yakjehti Committee -: The Baloch Yakjehti Committee is a group of people who are working together to support the rights of the Baloch people in Pakistan.
Sit-in -: A sit-in is a type of protest where people sit down in a place and stay there to show they are unhappy about something and want it to change.
Humanitarian crisis -: A humanitarian crisis is a very serious situation where many people do not have enough food, water, or medicine, and they need help quickly.
