QUETTA: A 22-year-old resident of the restive Kohlu district threatened to self-immolate if her brother – who was whisked away by security agencies on September 20, 2011 – was not safely returned to the family.
Addressing a news conference at the hunger strike camp set up by the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons outside the Quetta Press Club on Monday, she said Sher Ali Marri went to Hyderabad along with nine other people of her family where he was picked up by security personnel near the Hydarabad “bakra mandi” (cattle market) and has been listed missing ever since.
“The authorities just kidnapped my brother and not the other people with him,” she told reporters.
The girl said that her brother had no affiliation with any political party or organisation and had never been involved in any illegal activities.
“He was the sole breadwinner of our family. I will commit suicide in front of the Balochistan Assembly by burning myself if he is not returned safely back to us,” she declared.
She asked the authorities to present her brother before a court if he was accused of any criminal offence. She also called upon the Supreme Court human rights organisations and the United Nations to play their role for the safe recovery of her brother and other missing Baloch people.
Responding to a query, Qadir Baloch, father of Jalil Reki – leader of the Baloch Republican Party (BRP), who has been missing for two years now – alleged that some people had threatened him to end the hunger strike camp.
“Two people came to the camp and even to my house and asked me to end the strike. They said they will kill my son Reki if I continue my hunger strike.
“This is the sole platform for the relatives of the missing Baloch people,” he said, adding that the hunger strike will continue until all the missing persons were recovered.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2011.
COMMENTS (13)
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@bilal: Then I the inhabitant of Lahore since 6 generations want an Independent State as well.... The Musical Lahore..........all inhabitants of pre-partition should be repatriated and our centuries old Lahori culture once again resuscitated!
now this statement given by the girl is shameful for our government. why USA in Pakistan and what they are doing there. our army is also sleeping.when situation will become critical they will take action. every one is busy in talking rest and Pakistan is just ruled by Allah almighty.
@abdul moiz: People only when desperate go to that extent.Below is a report given to central police office:="Accused Mazhar Rafi ,additiiional home secretary Government of pakistan committed murder of ex-captain pakistan ArmyAman ullah khan Ghilzaiin conspiracy with Railway police,karachi region on 19thAugust 1984 by administering poison and to conceal the crime secretly disposed of the dead body"-(PM277/84 JPGMC)
If they are Not presented in the court , Its a proof of them being Innocent, Demanding liberty is NOT a crime!
oh the balochs and the sindhis and the punjabis and the pathans and the urdu speakings and our kashmiri prothers what has gone into peoples' minds its not about who they are its just that they shall be released if they are innocent and if the so-called authorities have any proof of their involvement in any criminal activity why not put them to trial atleast this way their family would be certain about their whereabouts and their fate and would be able to help them defend themselves (to prove their innocence that is)
According to the laws of the land, a 22 year is a WOMAN and not a girl. That is incredibly demeaning & sexist. You should correct that and STOP doing it in general.
@abdul have u forgotten sindhis being killed in karachi !! its not only the punjabis being killed ,its every one suffering ,i think future of pakistan is hard with 4 provinces ! USA,israhell and russia already have plans to make pakistan break into 4 or 5 states ,1-punjab,2-sindh-3-balochistan-4kpk ......making karachi a province would be imaginable but hard if pakistan breaks, all non natives except urdu and sindhi will leave karachi .i think its the better of sindh to make karachi a new province or make a new capital of sindh and make karachi the un-official capital !! people always give less privileges,rights, royalty,and attention to interior sindh and balochistan . that why most sindhis and balochs are not to so patriotic pakistanis !
@abdul moiz:
Who started it? Not the Baluchis who are being robbed of their resources, kept poor and then killed if they ask for their rights.
why no protests or talk shows for the hundreds of punjabi civilians killed in balochistan for their crime of being punjabis? why did our media remain silent over this ethnic cleansing but hundreds of talk shows have taken place over the missing persons.punjabi civilians are taken off buses after their identity cards are checked and then lined up and shot dead.
This self-immolation thing is really taking off in Pakistan??? What are the authorities doing about it??? They should have fire dousing equipment on every street corner to stop this.