Activists of the Free Balochistan Movement and other Baloch activists from across the UK gathered in front of the Pakistan High Commission in London to observe August 14 as ‘Black Day’, and to urge the UK and the rest of the world to stop supporting Pakistan over its atrocities in Balochistan.
The protesters chanted slogans against Pakistan and the Pakistan Army for their genocidal policies against the Baloch people.
They said that the Pakistan Army in Balochistan is involved in enforced disappearances and extra-judicial murders of Baloch women, children and the elderly.
Pakistan is celebrating 75 years of Independence.
Balochistan, the largest but poorest province of Pakistan, has seen the worst human rights violations where Pakistani security agencies are involved in extrajudicial killings, torture and kidnapping of political activists, intellectuals and students.
The region, known for its rich mineral reserves, remains underdeveloped due to Pakistan’s negligence and apathy towards the people.
The protesters also raised the issue of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-million dollar development project that gives easy access to China in the region, which the Baloch claims was forcefully occupied by Pakistan in 1948.
As Pakistan celebrates its 75th Independence Day, the Baloch living in Germany protested outside Pakistan’s consulate in Frankfurt to mark August 14 as ‘Black Day’.
In North and South Waziristan, people are burning in the fires of terrorism for long. The presence of dreaded terror outfits like the Taliban and Islamic State has made their life miserable and Pakistani security agencies have failed to provide them protection.
The opposition parties continue with their anti-government protests across the country. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan held a big power show in Lahore hockey stadium for the “Haqeeqi Azadi ” show.
On the other hand, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) held a rally from Liaquat Bagh to Faizabad Rawalpindi in the name of “Nazria Pakistan Conference and Rally”.
Imran Khan invited his workers all over Pakistan to join his ‘Lahore Jalsa’. PTI supporters also placed screens in different cities including Karachi, Islamabad and Rawalpindi to listen to Imran Khan’s address.
Due to both parties’ processions, roads in Lahore and the twin cities were blocked for the whole day. Traffic was diverted and people were stuck for hours. Imran Khan held a huge power show in Lahore to celebrate 75th independence day and emphasis “Real Freedom” once again.
The TLP chief lamented that ‘half of the country is under the spell of torrential rains while politicians are fighting each other and playing “Jail-Jail”. In Pakistan-occupied Kashmir when some political parties tried to hold events on 75 years of Independence, the local Kashmiris forcibly stopped the event and shouted “Azadi” or freedom slogans.