Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights commission has received information that the participants of the Baloch Long March are being continuously threatened in the province of Punjab, which is the province of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The marchers were stopped by a heavy contingent of police and for some time they were not allowed to enter the city of Gujrat. After a sit-in on the main highway and through the intervention of activists they were allowed to enter the city. However, they were not allowed to meet with any people there.
Before reaching Gujrat, persons in plainclothes riding on four wheelers threatened them that they would be prevented from completing their journey to Islamabad under present circumstances. The city of Rawalpindi, adjacent to Islamabad, is the headquarters of military and security forces and they would not permit them to enter there.
Please sign the Urgent Appeal to protect their lives so that they can complete this historic long march held in protest against endemic disappearances.
CASE NARRATIVE:
The peaceful long march under the Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) has completed 95 days after covering 2700 kilometers started from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan. They need to complete a further 220 kilometer to reach Islamabad. Women and children are also included in the long march which was started on October 27 from Quetta. The march passed without any disturbance from Sindh province. But, as they were about to enter Punjab they were under continuous threats from spy agencies.
First, they were not allowed to enter Rahimyar Khan City and had to change their route to enter it by the long route. In the city of Multan they were stopped again in the containment area and after some hours were allowed to pass but without putting up their posters. Here, they were threatened not to enter Lahore, the capital of Punjab province. However, organizations from civil society resisted these threats and guided the marchers to Lahore where they received a rousing reception.
As they proceeded towards Islamabad from central Punjab, the authorities started threatening them once more. The plainclothes persons forced the activists, who were marching in solidarity, to identify themselves and supply their home addresses. Mr. Mama Qadeer, leading the march, was threatened to stop the march from entering Rawalpindi in particular, the garrison city, or else they would be physically harmed. Mama Qadeer informed us that he had received threatening phone calls from an unknown number. The caller stated categorically that the decision had been taken that the march would not be allowed into Rawalpindi. The person stated that all preparations had already been made to ensure that the march would be stopped beforehand. The caller told Mama that the march should turn back and not continue on. Mama Qadeer would not be allowed to present his demands before the UN in “any way, shape, or form”.
The long marchers are under serious threat. It is anticipated that they and other activists, who are joining them, would be harmed in some way. This is to stop them from presenting their demands for the recovery of disappeared persons before the UN mission in Islamabad. The attitude of the government and the military towards the families of disappeared persons, particularly the Baloch nation, is very harsh and indifferent. On the other hand, the government and the army is involved in appeasing the Pakistani Taliban who do not spare a day in which they kill citizens and army soldiers alike–a shameful act which must be condemned at large.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities listed below. Call on them to provide fool-proof security for the participants of the long march and stop those conspiracies which are preventing them from entering Islamabad. Please urge them withdraw all the restriction imposed by security personnel. If any harm comes to the marchers, the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the military of Pakistan would be responsible.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ____________,
PAKISTAN: The lives of Long Marchers are under serious threat from security agencies who are trying to stop them from reaching Islamabad
Victims: Participants of the Baloch Long March
Alleged Perpetrators: spy agencies, national authorities
Place of incident: Punjab Province
Date of incident: 18 February, ongoing
I am deeply concerned with the security of the participants of the Baloch Long March. They are continuously being threatened by persons from security agencies to stop their long march from entering Rawalpindi, a garrison city. There are women and children, also receiving direct threats to their lives from state agencies.
I am distressed tp know that the peaceful long march under the Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) has completed 95 days after covering 2700 kilometers started from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan. They need to complete a further 220 kilometer to reach Islamabad. Women and children are also included in the long march which was started on October 27 from Quetta. The march passed without any disturbance from Sindh province. But, as they were about to enter Punjab they were under continuous threats from spy agencies. First, they were not allowed to enter Rahimyar Khan City and had to change their route to enter it by the long route. In the city of Multan they were stopped again in the containment area and after some hours were allowed to pass but without putting up their posters. Here, they were threatened not to enter Lahore, the capital of Punjab province. However, organizations from civil society resisted these threats and guided the marchers to Lahore where they received a rousing reception.
I am shocked to know as they proceeded towards Islamabad from central Punjab, the authorities started threatening them once more. The plainclothes persons forced the activists, who were marching in solidarity, to identify themselves and supply their home addresses. Mr. Mama Qadeer, leading the march, was threatened to stop the march from entering Rawalpindi in particular, the garrison city, or else they would be physically harmed. Mama Qadeer informed us that he had received threatening phone calls from an unknown number. The caller stated categorically that the decision had been taken that the march would not be allowed into Rawalpindi. The person stated that all preparations had already been made to ensure that the march would be stopped beforehand. The caller told Mama that the march should turn back and not continue on. Mama Qadeer would not be allowed to present his demands before the UN in “any way, shape, or form”.
The long marchers are under serious threat. It is anticipated that they and other activists, who are joining them, would be harmed in some way. This is to stop them from presenting their demands for the recovery of disappeared persons before the UN mission in Islamabad. The attitude of the government and the military towards the families of disappeared persons, particularly the Baloch nation, is very harsh and indifferent. On the other hand, the government and the army is involved in appeasing the Pakistani Taliban who do not spare a day in which they kill citizens and army soldiers alike–a shameful act which must be condemned at large.
Therefore I urge upon you to immediately provide fool-proof security for the participants of the long march and stop those conspiracies which are preventing them from entering Islamabad. I also urge upon you to withdraw all the restriction imposed by security personnel. If any harm comes to the marchers, the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the military of Pakistan would be responsible.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Mian Nawaz Sharif
Prime Minister
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1596
Tel: +92 51 920 6111
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk or pspm@pmsectt.gov.pk
2.Khawja Muhammad Asif
Minister Incharge
Federal Ministry of Defense
Government of Pakistan
Islamabad
Phone number: 92 51 9206111 + 92-51-9222666
Fax: 92 51 9221596
3. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan
Federal Minister for Interior
R Block, Pak Secretariat
Islamabad (Pakistan)
Tele : 0092-51-9212026
Fax: 0092-51-9202624
Email Address: interior.complaintcell@gmail.com
ministry.interior@gmail.com
4. Federal Minister of Law and Human Rights
Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights
Old US Aid building
Ata Turk Avenue
G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9204108
Email: contact@molaw.gov.pk
5. Mr. Ch Mohammad Sarwar
Governor of Punjab
Governor House
Mall Road
Lahore, Punjab
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 99203044
Email: governor.sectt@punjab.gov.pk
6. Chief Justice of Punjab Province
Lahore High Court
Shahra-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Lahore
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 42 99212951-66
Fax: +92 42 99212279
Email: webmasterlhc@lhc.gov.pk
7. Mr. Shahbaz Sharif
Chief Minister
Government of Punjab
Province
Chief Minister
Secretariat
5-Club Road
GOR-I, Lahore, Punjab
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 99205065
Email: cmcomplaintcell@cmpunjab.gov.pk
8. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9213452
Email: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
9. Mr. Rana Sana Ullah Khan
Minister of Law
Government of Punjab
Punjab Secretariat
Ravi Road
Lahore, Punjab
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 99212004
E-mail: law@punjab.gov.pk
10. Inspector-General of Police of Punjab
Police Head Office
Lahore, Punjab province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 42 9921006
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
