Washington based AFB urges international bodies to set free Baloch leader's wife

A Washington-based organisation has urged international bodies to help set free an abducted Baloch leader's wife and daughter from the captivity of Pakistani security forces.

Washington-based American Friends of Balochistan (AFB) has appealed to the United Nations, US State Department, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, UNICEF, International Service for Human Rights and other international bodies to step in to free four women and three babies from the illegal captivity of the Pakistan security forces.

Fazila Baloch, wife of Balochistan freedom leader Dr. Allah Nazar Baloch and his adopted daughter Popal Jan, four; Fazila's friend Bibi Salma and her one-and-half years old son named Irfan; Ayaal and her two-years-old daughter Zairak and a fourth woman Gohar Jan, were abducted on Monday afternoon from Quetta.

According to details, Dr Nazar's wife, who was badly injured in the December 2012 bombing was in Quetta for medical treatment. The bombing had killed 44 close relatives of Dr. Nazar.

The AFB said that the enforced disappearance of women and babies was clear violation of the Geneva conventions and shows Islamabad is violating laws of war with impunity in Balochistan.

"Enforced disappearances of women and babies show unconscionable acts of state terror are being perpetrated on the Baloch civilians. The United Nations and human rights organizations should immediately hold Pakistan accountable for its actions in Balochistan. We regret that enforced disappearances in Balochistan have not received the attention of the world community, further emboldening the Deep State of Pakistan to throw the Geneva conventions to the winds in Balochistan."

The enforced disappearance of women and babies is a sequel to disappearances of the Baloch leaders, activists, lawyers, doctors, teachers, journalists and people from all walks of life who demand justice for Balochistan.

"In the backdrop of a genocidal situation, mass graves have been found, villages have been bombed, burned and destroyed and the means of livelihood of citizens have been snatched in the length and breadth of France-sized Balochistan. All these actions of Pakistan security and intelligence services constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes, while ethnic cleansing is continuing on a daily basis to pave way for the multi-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor."

"In the United States when a child is abducted by any criminal we have what is called an "Amber " alert. Within minutes across the entire United States is broadcast on television, radio, even on flashing signs on highways across the interstate. Unfortunately in Balochistan the security forces are the criminals who are doing these abductions," the AFB said.

The AFB said two days earlier, Pakistan security forces raided Baloch homes in the Gulistan-i-Johar area of Karachi and forcibly disappeared nine youngsters, including an eight-year-old.

"No words are enough to condemn these despicable acts of the security and intelligence services against the hapless Baloch populace. We urge immediate action by the State Department and ending all dealings with the Southern Command of Pakistan army that calls the shots in Balochistan, the Inter Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence and Frontier Corps in deference for the Leahy Amendment," the AFB statement concluded.

At least 8,000 Baloch are still victims of enforced disappearances in Balochistan while 1500 such victims were killed and dumped, according to human rights organizations.

-ANI