In a significant development, Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan on Thursday rejected the statement by UN experts on the recent BYC activists’ arrest as biased.
“We have taken note of the press release issued by certain UN experts…. It is imperative that public statements of this nature adhere to principles of objectivity, avoid selective criticism, reflect factual accuracy, and acknowledge the full context of the situation,” remarked the MOFA spokesperson.
The development came after Pakistani authorities recently cracked down on members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) in Karachi and Quetta for violating the law.
Several protestors, including the BYC leaders Dr Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch, were arrested.
More than 100 individuals have been arrested across the country who are now facing charges encompassing various serious offences such as terrorism, incitement to rebellion, and murder.
Dr Mahrang, along with several other members of BYC, were arrested Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.
Sammi Deen Baloch was re-arrested by authorities within the court premises after securing bail. She was also re-arrested under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), sending her to jail for 30 days.
Authorities have blamed BYC activists of violating several laws, including undertaking violent riots, injuring police officials, attacking a hospital in Balochistan and forcibly taking the bodies of terrorists from the Jaffar Express train hijacking.
As authorities clamped down on activists, a group of UN experts released a statement expressing concern over their arrests: “We have been monitoring with growing concern reports of alleged arrests and enforced disappearances of Baloch activists over the past number of months, and the violent incidents in the past few days have significantly increased our concerns.”
However, the ministry of foreign affairs responded by pointing towards the arrested individuals’ involvement in abuses of law and human rights violations.
The spokesperson regretted the statement by UN experts, arguing that it lacked balance and proportionality, downplaying civilian casualties inflicted by terrorist attacks.
He further asserted: “Hiding behind a façade of alleged grievances, these elements are operating in collusion with terrorists — evident from their coordinated efforts to obstruct state responses, including synchronised roadblocks facilitating terrorist attacks.”
“The latest proof of this nexus was their unlawful storming of the District Hospital in Quetta, where they forcibly seized the bodies of five terrorists eliminated during the Jaffar Express hostage rescue operation.”
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