Baloch leaders were booked under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.
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Narendra Modi in his August 15 Independence Day speech accused Pakistan of human rights abuses in Balochistan – a move described by analysts as a desperate attempt to shift the global media spotlight from brutalities of Indian security forces in the disputed state of Kashmir.
Calling on the Centre to respond to Pakistan in kind for booking Baloch leaders for siding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) asserted that all anti-national elements, including the separatists in the Valley, must be booked on charges of sedition.
Acting District Police Officer Khuzdar Muhammad Ashraf Jatak said the petitioners claimed that Bugti, Marri and Karima Baloch had “supported” Prime Minister Modi’s August 15 speech.
“Clearly, Pakistan I think is trying to draw attention to what they thought would be a trump card namely to draw worldwide attention to developments in Kashmir particularly the kind of protest and turbulence that we have seen after the killing of Burhan Wani by the Indian security forces”, Commodore (Retd.) Bhaskar said.
Talking about the human rights violation in Balochistan, he accused Pakistan of oppressing the Baloch people and denying them “their basic human rights”. He drew India’s attention to Balochistan, PoK and Gilgit.
Earlier this month, the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the raising of a new regiment to be equipped with an advanced version of the BrahMos developed for mountain warfare at a cost of more than Rs 4,300 crore.
Modi’s controversial statement sparked protests across Balochistan, with large numbers of tribesmen taking to the streets in protest in Dera Bugti, Khuzdar, Quetta, Chaman and other parts of the province.
Kareema had shared a video on social media after Modi’s speech.
Days after Modi’s speech, Baloch activist Karima Baloch had sent the prime minister a Raksha Bandhan message, urging “Brother Modi” to be the “voice of the Baloch people”. “People of Balochistan are familiar with such tricks”, Mengal said.
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Meanwhile, the United States expressed concern about the human rights situation in Gilgit Baltistan and asked all parties in Pakistan to resolve the issues through a valid political process.
