Pakistani State Brutality Condemned at the Toronto Protest Gathering

Pakistani State Brutality Condemned at the Toronto Protest Gathering Authorities should be charged with Crimes against Humanity Toronto, May 6, 2012 – Baloch Human Rights Council (Canada) and the International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons jointly staged a peaceful protest condemning the brutal police/paramilitary operation in Lyari, Karachi resulting in the death of scores of innocent civilians including an eight-year old child crushed to death by an armoured personnel carrier of the security forces. The siege of Lyari by the police force that lasted eight days was an ordeal of worst form of human rights abuses witnessed by the 1.7 million inhabitants in its entire history including the periods of military dictatorships of the past. Members of the Baloch, Sindhi, and Kashmiri communities took part in the peaceful protest in large numbers to express their anguish and solidarity with the people of Lyari. Mr. Khushk, President of Sindhi Association of North America (SANA) and Mr. Kolachi former President SANA; Ejaz Sheikh, leader of World Sindhi Congress; Mumtaz Khan, Director, International Centre for Peace & Democracy; and Abu Sufyan, spokesperson of Alahwaz Democratic Popular Front attended the protest gathering among others. Participants held placards and chanted slogans, condemning the police brutality against the Baloch and Sindhis in Lyari and other parts of Karachi as an ongoing state policy of repression and forced displacement of the indigenous populations in collaboration with MQM for dominance over the economic and industrial nerve centre of Pakistan. Participants also condemned in the strongest terms the opportunistic policies of the ruling Pakistan People's Party, Sindh Government, and President Asif Ali Zardari for selling out Baloch and Sindhi inhabitants of Karachi to the land mafia and MQM thugs who run the criminal gangs in the city directly from the Governor House. The peaceful protest at 250 Front Street, Toronto was called by BHRC (Canada) and IVBMP to express solidarity with the people of Lyari, Karachi and condemn the brutal police operation in which 700 security personnel, 4 armoured personnel carriers, automatic weapons, and unlimited rounds of live ammunition were indiscriminately used against civilians, families, and children. During the siege of Lyari, the authorities blocked all aid to civilians including medicine, paramedics, food, and water – considered a crime against humanity by the ICJ and ICRC. Zaffar Baloch, President, Baloch Human Rights Council (Canada) Imtiaz Baloch, Secretary Information, Baloch Human Rights Council (Canada) International Voice for Baloch Missing Persons