EU to change policies if Pak's attitude to Balochistan remains unchanged

Geneva: With the Baloch political and human rights activists demanding a special rapporteur in the UN to investigate Baloch human rights violation, scores of Baloch nationals staged a protest outside the United Nations headquarters in Geneva today against Pakistan.

Member of European Parliament Ryszard Czarnecki said that European Union (EU) might change its economic policies if Pakistan's attitude towards the Baloch issue remains unchanged.

"For European Union, it is completely unacceptable that the government in Pakistan still uses violence against the people of Balochistan. We can observe the rise in violence in this region. The EU has special economic relationship with Pakistan and probably we should change this policy to Pakistan because in my opinion our economic relations with Islamabad should depend on the attitude of the Pakistani Government in human rights in Balochistan," Czarnecki told ANI.

Leading the protest in Geneva, Baloch activist Mehran Marri accused Islamabad of using unfair tactics.

"Our demand, from day one, to UN is to take Balochistan issue seriously and first and foremost send a fact finding team. Although teams have been sent in the past, but when they go to Pakistan their activities are absolutely obstructed," Marri told ANI.

Highlighting the deteriorating condition of Baloch nationals in Pakistan, Maari said, "It has taken a nastier turn. This time from four to six months, the Pakistan military and intelligence agencies have embarked upon abducting women and children and taking them to undisclosed locations. I am sure they are being violated."

"China entering the equation is a toxic mix. Punjabi and Chinese collation to exploit and loot Balochistan has worsened the situation, but China has to realise that Punjabis have been nobody's friend and Pakistan has not been America's friend," he added.

Baloch political activists and human rights defenders raised the situation of deteriorating human rights in Balochistan earlier on Friday and condemned the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at a side event during the 34th Session of UN Human Rights Council.