In a week-long campaign to mark International Human Rights Day, the Baloch National Movement (BNM) organized several programs around the world, including in the Netherlands, to shed light on the human rights crisis in Balochistan.
A protest rally was held in Hague, including demonstrations in front of the Dutch Parliament and the distribution of hundreds of pamphlets. The BNM also submitted a petition to the Dutch Parliament addressing the human rights violations in Balochistan and urged the Dutch government to take a principled stance against Pakistan’s actions. A letter was sent to the Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, calling on the government to publicly condemn Pakistan’s actions in Balochistan and support international accountability measures.
The BNM emphasized that the Dutch government should play a role in revoking Pakistan’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade status – a trade agreement that gives developing countries preferential access to the European Union (EU) market – making its continuation contingent on improvements in Pakistan’s human rights record, particularly in Balochistan.
Muheem Abdul Rahim, President of the BNM’s Netherlands chapter, stated in the letter that Pakistan’s “kill and dump” policy has created an environment of fear and uncertainty among the Baloch population. Thousands of families of forcibly disappeared individuals remain unaware of the whereabouts or fate of their loved ones, while poverty grips the local population under these oppressive conditions.
He further highlighted the Netherlands’ proud tradition of supporting human rights and called on the Dutch government to extend moral and political support to the Baloch people in their struggle for justice and dignity.
During the demonstration in front of the Dutch Parliament, several BNM members, including Vice President Waheed Baloch, Basit Baloch, Zahra Baloch, Dr. Latif, Abdul Rahman Baloch, Qadeer Sagar Baloch, Kiyya Baloch, Jawahar Baloch addressed the gathering. They reiterated that International Human Rights Day serves as a reminder to raise voices for the protection of the Baloch people’s rights, identity, and freedom.
Speakers denounced decades of violence by the Pakistani military in Balochistan, pointing to thousands of enforced disappearances and the discovery of mutilated bodies of Baloch individuals. They urged the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for its human rights abuses in the region.