London: World Sindhi Congress (WSC) organised a massive protest rally in collaboration with Baluchistan Action Committee, Baluchistan Rights Movement (BRM) and Sindhi Baluch Forum (SBF) on 25 Feb 2007 in front of 10 Downing Street,

the official residence of the British Prime Minster. The rally was organised to protest against the disappearance of WSC’s ex Chairman and current General Secretary of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, Dr. Safdar Sarki who was kidnapped a year ago on 24 Feb 2006 in broad daylight by Pakistani agencies. Pakistan government has refused to acknowledge his whereabouts and Pakistan’s judicial system has failed to pursue enough the Pakistan’s military regimes to produce him. Baluchs and Sindhis attended the protest rally from all around the UK and Europe. The members of other nations participated to show their solidarity with the righteous cause of Baluch and Sindhi people. The participants raised slogans against Pakistan’s military and their human rights atrocities against Baluch and Sindhi people.

Haleem Haleem Bhatti, Samad Baloch, Abdullah Baloch, Suraiya Makhdoom, Hidayat Bhutto, Qadir Jatio, Lakhu Luhana, and Mir Ghulam Hussain Baloch addressed the demonstration.

Dr Lakhu Luhana said in his speech that Pakistan is a state, which is killing its own unarmed civilian people and using modern weapon, heavy artillery and aircrafts against Baloch people in Balochistan. A full-flagged army operation is going on in Balochistan since 2005. The international community must stop supporting Pakistan before it is too late. He strongly condemned that arrest of Dr Safdar Sarki and other Baloch and Sindhi political activists. He said we assure Dr Sarki’s family that we will continue our struggle until he is release.

Samad Baloch of Balochistan Action committee strongly condemned the Pakistani atrocities in Sindh and Balochistan. He said Pakistan always clamed to be guardian of Islam where as they are killing our innocent women, children and elderly people. I never heard that India has ever used fighter jets and helicopter gunship to kill its own unarmed civilians but the whole world knows that Pakistan has used and is using fighter jets, helicopters and modern weapons to kill Baloch people in Balochistan. Pakistan army has broken the record of Israel in violating human rights. Civilian population of Sindh and Balochistan are being harassed. Few weeks back Pakistani army has abducted 9 and10-year-old kids from makran and tump. What harm a ninth class student could bring to Pakistan? Is not it a shame and gross violation of Human rights? Pakistani army has imposed a war on Baloch people all over Balochistan, from Kohlu and Makran and from Jhalawan to Sarawan no Baloch is safe from the Pakistani atrocities. Pakistan army has converted balochistan to a military garrison. I want to make it clear that Baloch and Sindhi people do not want to conquer anyone, do not want to kill anyone and do not want to rule anyone. We are not interested in any jobs or employment; we do not need the so-called development packages. What we want is our right to self-determination and self-rule.

He further asked where Pakistan is Islamic concept and humanity. They are arrested our simple poets, students, writers, teacher, and they have not been produced to any court of law. Finally, he said, “you cannot eliminate Baloch and Sindhi National issue by restoring torture, kidnap, arbitrary arrest and killing. The more you kill the more these problems rise and in the end of the day you are the one who loses and we will be the winners”.

Mr Qadir Baksh Jatoi strongly condemned the abduction of Dr Safdar Sarki and the illegal arrest of other thousands of Baloch and Sindhi political leaders and activist. He said Dr Sarki is a lover of Democracy and he has always asked for the democratic right of the people of Sindh and Balochistan. He said general Musharraf and his hooligan allies (MQM) are responsible for the arrest and disappearance of Dr Sarki. If anything happened to Sarki Sindhi people will take revenge from Musharraf and MQM. General Musharraf according to the constitution of Pakistan is a retired general who came into power at gunpoint and ruling the country at gunpoint.

He further said Pakistani army regime has arrested thousands of political activists form different parts of country but majority of them are Sindhi and Baloch only because people of Sindh and balochistan have been struggling for their political, democratic and National right form the very inception of pakistan, which is not a crime but our basic human right.

I want to tell the Western world who thinks Pakistan is their ally. General Musharraf and Pakistani establishment is not someone who can be trusted. The Pakistani army is helping all terrorist organisations like Taliban and Al-Qaeeda. I urge the whole world please stop supporting Pakistan. If you want peace in world, you must stop supporting Pakistan. I once again strongly condemn the abduction of Dr Sarki and other Baloch and Sindhi political workers and leaders and demand their immediate release.

Abdullah Baloch said we have gathered here to condemn the Pakistani atrocities and arbitrary arrest in Sindh and Balochistan. Pakistan has imposed a war on Baloch and Sindhi people. The indiscriminate bombardment, illegal arrests have left our people with no alternative then to fight for their legitimate rights. Pakistani army has no value of Human Rights. Pakistan is exporting fundamentalists and terrorism to other countries to destabilise the region. Pakistan is not a country to rely on. Pakistan is not an ally of west on basis and principles of democracy. We call upon all western counties who believe in principle and values of Human Rights, please stop supporting Pakistan. Please help us to defend the Baloch and Sindhi people who are fighting for their National Rights. We do not want to be governed by Islamabad or anyone else. I want to remind the Pakistani rulers that we are not going to be intimidated by forceful disappearance and arbitrary arrests. We will carry on our struggle until victory. Today we are here to show our support to our brothers back at home (Balochistan) that they are not alone and we are with them at all fronts.

We assure Dr Sarki’s family that we will continue to raise our voice against his and other thousand peoples’ arrest until they are free and until we achieve our aim which is freedom and implementation of Human Rights.

Mr Haleem Bhatti said, “I assure Dr Sarki that we will not rest until all Baloch and Sindhi political leaders and activists are free from the secret dungeon of Pakistan’s Punjabi army and we will continue our struggle for freedom and justice.”

Mir Hussain Baloch in his speech strongly condemned the arrest of Dr Sarki, all Baloch and Sindhi political leaders and the on going military operation in Balochistan. He said these atrocities and arrest are not new to us, our people have been subjected to torture in the past and these new killings, arrests and army operation is the continuation of Pakistan’s past crimes. He said, “I urge her majesty government and Prime Minister Tony Blair to stop supporting Pakistan. Your silence is hurting the people of Sindh and Balochistan. If the west is interested eliminating international terrorism, they must stop supporting Pakistan immediately. I urge the Baloch and Sindhi people to continue their struggle and join hand together.”

Suraiya Makhdoom in her speech said that Pakistani shameless army has arrested and killed thousands of Baloch and Sindhi worker and leader. Recently they killed a great Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, they killed zulfiqar Bhutto and they killed Nazeer abbasi and many others. The west should realise that Pakistan is the only inhuman state which is killing her own unarmed citizens. Then how is it possible Pakistan will be a loyal friend to the west when it is not loyal to her own people? she asked. To maintain peace and security in the world the international community must stop supporting Pakistan and recognise the freedom struggle of Sindh and Balochistan.

Mr Hayat Bhutto said, “It has been a year now Dr Sarki is missing and pakistan agencies are not telling us about his whereabouts. Dr Sarki is not the first victim of state terrorism thousands other Baloch and Sindhi activists and leader are missing as well.

“I want to tell the west that pakistan is a hypocrite and double standard country on one hand she is helping Jihadi organisations in Kashmir, she is helping Taliban and Al-Qaeeda but on the other pakistan says that its fighting the war on terror. Baloch and Sindhi people are secular forces and we have a tradition of secularism. Your (Western) provided weapons and aid is being used to kill secular Sindhi and Baloch people. Pakistan is against civilisation and decency and is with extremism and fundamentalists. That is why we request to international community to stop supporting Pakistan and stop giving any aid to Pakistan until and unless the issue of Sindh and Balochistan are resolved.

At the end of the rally, a petition was handed over by Haleem Bhatti, Suraiya Makhdoom, Nabi Bux Soomro, Noordin Mengal, Qair Jatoi and Mir Hussain Baloch to British Prime Minster requesting:

• To press upon Pakistan government to release Dr. Safdar Sarki, Mr. Akhtar Mengal and all other Baluch and Sindhi political leaders and workers.
• To intervene in order to stop the killing of innocent Baluch and Sindhi people by the Pakistani army.
• To take immediate action to force the Pakistani military regime to stop the ongoing military operation in Baluchistan and respect human rights as per their obligations to international law and the UN declaration of human rights.
• To set up an international committee to investigate the crimes against humanity committed by the Pakistani army in Baluchistan and Sindh

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