Toronto [Canada], January 7 : The diaspora of Baloch, Sindhis and Pashtuns in Canada organised a demonstration on Saturday to express their solidarity with the thousands of Baloch marchers in Pakistan against atrocities, enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killings, torture by the army and other security agencies.
The joint protest in Toronto was called by the Baloch Human Rights Council of Canada, World Sindhi Council and Pashtun Council Canada to condemn Islamabad's apartheid policy of violence and repression against the Baloch, Sindhis and Pashtuns in the strongest terms.
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Thousands of Baloch activists, including women and children, led by Dr Mahrang Baloch have marched from Balochistan to Islamabad following the unlawful arrest, illegal detention, torture, and custodial murder of a 24-year-old Baloch youth, Balaach Mola Bakhsh on November 23, 2023.
Human rights organisations have alleged that Pakistani authorities have arrested and caused the disappearance of Pashtun, Sindhi and Baloch human rights activists.
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Pakistan is involved in the extrajudicial murder of Balaach and several activists in illegal state custody.
Speakers at the Toronto solidarity rally strongly condemned the discriminatory attitude of the Pakistani Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and the Islamabad police in using excessive force, baton charges, water cannons and mass arrests of students and protesters during a peaceful sit-in outside the National Press Club in Islamabad.
Addressing the solidarity gathering, speakers highlighted the discriminative and repressive nature of the Pakistani state towards political dissent and exclusively the oppressed nations of Baloch, Sindhis, and Pashtuns.
A large number of women and families of the diaspora communities also participated in the Toronto rally to send a strong message to Islamabad that state violence and injustices against women will be challenged and the perpetrators of abuse will face justice.
Speakers explained the predatory nature of the Pakistani state and its military in exploiting the natural resources, land-grabbing, militarization, enforced disappearances of political activists, extrajudicial killings, persecution of religious minorities, and state promotion of terror and extremism with the intent of genocide of Baloch, Sindhis, and Pashtuns.
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