Shehmir
Gorgej, WASHINGTON D.C.
The American Friends
of Baluchistan and the Baloch Society of North
America were joined by Dr. Nazir Bhatti, editor
of the Pakistan Christian Post, in observing
Pakistan's 61st birth anniversary by holding a Press Conference “Killings
and Persecution of Baluch, Hindus and Christians
in Pakistan” at the National Press Club here
in Washington, DC.
Washington, DC: As the Pakistani army
operations continue in Baluchistan, Islamabad
is also busy with a discreet jihad or undeclared
war inside Afghanistan in spite of officially
being allied with the U.S. in the war on terror
and receiving $12 billion in U.S. taxpayers'
monies, two Baluch organizations told a Press
conference at the National Press Club here
Friday afternoon.
The American Friends
of Baluchistan and the Baloch Society of North
America, were joined by Dr. Nazir Bhatti, editor
of the Pakistan Christian Post in observing Pakistan's
61st birth anniversary by holding a Press Conference “Killings
and Persecution of Baluch, Hindus and Christians
in Pakistan” at
the National Press Club here in Washington, DC.
The meeting began with two one minute silences:
one for victims of Pakistani army jihad in Baluchistan
and a second for Al Qaeda and Taliban jihad in
Afghanistan .
A.F.B. founder Ahmar Mustikhan, moderator and
organizer of the Press event, read out the speech
of Robert R. Selle, president of the A.F.B.,
who said Baluchistan is profusely bleeding and
the issue can no longer be treated like an internal
issue of Pakistan, but can only be addressed
by the concerted efforts of the peoples of the
world.
“The crux of the matter is that the Baluch people
are “victims of jihad” at the hands of the Pakistani
army. This calls for immediate international
intervention,” Mustikhan demanded.
"The entire world can not be lying," Mustikhan
said about I.S.I. links with the Al Qaeda.
He said the security agencies of not one but
three countries have confirmed direct Pakistani
involvement in the violence against Afghanistan
and the International Security Assistance Force.
He recalled earlier in April, an attempt was
made on the life of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. “This
sort of jihadi terror requires greater international
resolve,” he said.
Dr. Nazir Bhatti, editor of the Pakistan Christian
Post, demanded an end to the killings of Christians
and adequate representation in parliament after
and unbiased population census.
"There were five elected members in Pakistan
Assembly of 1948, in house of 48 and which are
decreased to four seats when house constitutes
with 342 members in 2008. A transparent census
is very important issue in for the Christians
to get their due share," Bhatti said.
Wahid Baloch, president of B.S.O.-N.A., said one way the U.S. can help both
Baluchistan and Afghanistan is to cut off all military aid to Pakistan until
it grants the Baluch people their right to self-determination and hands of
terrorists like Mullah Omar and Ayman Alzwahiri.
“We urge our friends on the Capitol Hill
just small baby steps on their part can make
a sea of difference,” Baloch said.
He said one of the baby steps on the part of
the U.S. Congress is an embargo on all military
supplies and equipment until Pakistan grants
the Baloch people the right to self-determination,
hands over terrorists like A.Q. Khan, Osama bin
Laden, Ayman Alzwahiri, Daud Ebrahim and Rashid
Rauf and rolls back its nuclear weapons program.
“I like to call the Pakistan army the Jihadi
army. They are in fact they Taliban in uniform
bearing U.S. arms in their hands,” Baloch said. “ Pakistan
has never been an ally in the war on terror,
because Pakistan itself is the terror. Pakistan
, its military and ISI, are the main sources
of terrorism,” he added.
Mustikhan said since the day of their forced
annexation in march 1948, the Baluch have been
discriminated against in multifarious ways by
the Punjabi- and Mohajir-dominated central government
in Islamabad .
Ashraf Haideri, counselor at the Afghan embassy
in Washington DC , said the Taliban sanctuaries
in Pakistan was the main cause of bloodletting
in Afghanistan . He said tremendous opportunities
exist for trade and economic development, once
Pakistan stops helping the Taliban and Al
Qaeda.
Karim Abdian, Ph.D., executive director of the
Ahwaz Human Rights Organization, USA , who represents
the Ahwazi Arabs in Iran , deplored the continued
violation of human rights of the smaller nationalities
in Iran and mentioned the hanging of Baluch journalist
and human rights campaigner Yaqub Mehrnihad.
The newsmen repeatedly heard the name of General
David McKiernan, the commander of the International
Security Assistance Force, who in a recent interview
with CNN said that Pakistan 's ISI is supporting
the bloodshed inside Afghanistan .
“We are firmly convinced that the Pakistani
army is committing crimes against humanity not
only in Baluchistan, but also Afghanistan , as
the escape of high-profile terrorist Rashid Rauf
shows,” Mustikhan said.
“It is inexcusable that Pakistan 's Punjabi and Mohajir generals want to usurp
the rights of the Baluch, Pashtuns and other nationalities,” he added.
“As a I speak here, as many as 2,000 people
are still jailed or missing in Baluchistan .
Even though an elected government took office
in Pakistan early this year, the fate of the
Baluch people has not changed,” Mustikhan said.
Mustikhan expressed concern over press reports
that the British authorities were considering
handing over to Pakistan Baluch political activists,
namely former Baluchistan provincial minister
Hairbiyar Marri, Faiz Baluch and others who have
supported the resistance, in exchange for known
the al Qaeda terrorists like Rashid Rauf. “Any
such shameless and unprincipled trade-off would
undermine the secular movement in Baluchistan
,” he said.
He deplored the huge campaign Islamabad
has launched in favor of Aafia Siddiqi,
who is clearly suspected of having evil designs
against our new home, the Unued States, while
it silenced and forcibly sent Dr. Shazia Khalid
out of Pakistan . Khalid was raped by Pakistan
army Captain Mohammed Hammad in Dera Bugti.
Siddiqi, who Press reports suggest has extensive
links with Al Qaeda jihadists, was allegedly
arrested in Afghanistan , while planning to blow
up a provincial governor. In the case of Dr.
Khalid, who was raped on January 2, 2005, Bugti
tribe under the slain Baloch leader Nawab Akbar
Khan Bugti rose in revolt against the injustice
done to the woman doctor who was their neighbor.
Mustikhan said the de jure ruler of Baluchistan,
the Khan of Kalat, Suleman Daud Ahmedzai, who
is now exiled in London , has appealed to the
world to come to the aid of his hapless people.
Ahmedzai has said without a commitment from the
international community, justice for his people
will remain a mere dream.
“Therefore, the United States must petition
the United Nations to empanel a Commission on
Baluchistan, with respected South Asian and international
leaders as members, empowered to explore the
possibilities for reversing the inequities in
Baluchistan . And, if all parties agree, let
there be an independence referendum by the residents
of the Baluch territory,” Selle reiterated his
demand. “Least of all, a Congressional fact Finding
mission is in order,” Mustikhan read out the
A.F.B. demand.
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