EU MPs express solidarity with Baloch nationalists

BRUSSELS: Legislators from many countries gathered at the European Parliament, Belgium, to discuss the situation in Balochistan and to express their solidarity with the democratic forces. The event ‘Baluchistan: Destiny Denied’ was hosted by the European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the European Parliament and Balochistan House.

Paulo Casaca, executive director of South Asia Democratic Forum, highlighted the ongoing insurgency in the province and the Pakistani government’s response to it.

Ryzsard Czarnecki, an MEP from Poland, spoke about Balochistan’s potential riches from its natural resources and lamented the fact that Balochistan remains one of the poorest and least developed regions, with alarmingly high rates of infant mortality and illiteracy.

Canadian MP Russ Hiebert, British MP Andrew Percy, Baloch special envoy to the EU Mehran Marri and commentator Tarek Fatah condemned the alleged ongoing operation in the province and a systematic campaign to “crush Baloch identity”.

Mehran Marri, special representative of Balochistan to the EU, denounced the alleged army operation. “The situation in Balochistan can only be defined as genocide and the silence regarding this issue is deafening. We call on all the democratic forces of the world to support Balochistan’s nationalist movement and show solidarity with those who defend human rights.”

The event comes just days after the European Parliament delivered a rebuke to Pakistan in a resolution denouncing the recent murder of Christians by the Taliban in Peshawar.

Ryszard Czarnecki, speaking about the recent earthquake, said that the Pakistani position regarding the NGOs not being allowed to go to Balochistan to provide assistance is definitely a problem motivated by the broader situation in Balochistan.

Russ Hiebert, a Canadian parliamentarian, focused on the role that the international community could play to bring about positive change in Balochistan. He said: “The solution lies in justice for the people, and the international community must play a role in this. Justice must be restored otherwise there will be no end in sight to violence.”

Andrew Percy MP said the issue of education is very important to the United Kingdom as one of the biggest providers of foreign aid to Pakistan, especially for education. “There have been discussions in the United Kingdom about how much has been spent but not how that amount has been spent, which is the most important issue.

Education is an important tool to fight extremism, sectarianism and any sort of promotion of hate.