EU demands enquiry into HR violations in Balochistan

Islamabad, Apr 12 (UNI) Sixty Seven members of European Parliament, including Vice President Janusz Onyszkiewicz, have demanded appointment of a "special rapporteur to probe allegation of torture and widespread human rights violation in Balochistan by the Pakistan's armed forces.

In a petition to the President of the European Parliament Josep Boreil, the members asked for "closure of detention camps" as access to the Red Cross to operate freely in the Balochistan region, press reports said.

The unwarranted military action by the armed forces has ''spared neither women, nor children resulting in widespread human rights violations.The situation has been exacerbated by the attempts of the military regime to tarsnish the image of the Baloch leader,'' the petitition said.

The Balochis also fear that the policies of the present government were geared to change the demographics of the province, turning the baloh into a minority in their own homeland, and exploiting their resources for the benefit of the dominant Punjab, it further stated.

Referring to security and political situation in the province, the petition said that the media and the Non-Governmental organisations have not been allowed free and undetered access to the areas targetted by the Pakistan armed forces.

UNI XC SMA SB BS1324