A house in Doctor’s Colony Turbat Balochistan is under a heavy military siege since 16:00 Pakistan time, 6th of September 2016. Siege remained continued for the next two days, till now. No one can go in or come out of the house. All the cell phones of the besieged ones are with security forces. No one can contact them on the personal phones anybody of the family has.
There are eight hostages in the house. A retired Education Officer of Health Department. Rest are 4 ladies and three kids, who are respectively 55, 22, 18, 14, 12 and 3 years old while there is an infant who is Three months old now.
Almost 55 years old Cardiac Patient, Han Bibi and her daughters are too much busy in cooking soldiers of the sieging force. “They (mother and daughters) don’t know about the rest of complications. But they have to feed them (the soldiers)”, said Hafiz Rauf, the exiled poet, son of the family who is living in Middle East now a days.
“Why there are so many Balochi books in your house”? Asked security forces in first glance, said Hafiz Rauf.
Ration supply is blocked since the moment the house is kept under siege. 60 years old Abdul Rauf is patient of High Blood pressure and Hypertention. Husband (Rauf) and wife (Han Bibi) need Doctors and medication and mostly rest on time.
Ghani Parwaz, Coordinator of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s special task force for Turbat Mekran said that they have formed a team of Human Rights activists and journalists, visited the house as soon as they came to know about the raid on ‘Old Man’s (Abdul Rauf)” house.
“We were told that the raid is by Police of Trubat. So, we went to the office of District Police Officer (DPO). DPO, then told us it’s by the FC, the paramilitary force. We went to the Commandant of FC and he said the raid is by local police”, said Ghani Parwaz. “The reality is this raid is based on a mutual understanding of the police and the paramilitary force, that’s why they will send us to each other again and again”, said Parwaz.
“Its three days and two nights now. An old man with seven females are under siege for nothing. None of them is found involved in any crime so far”, said Parwaz.
Mr. Pir Jan was the member of Central Committee of Baloch Students Origination (Azad), which is being led by KarimaBaloch from Canada now a days. House is of Mr. Abdul Rauf, who is a retired Health Education Officer in Health Department, Government of Balochistan. His son, Pir Jan had been very much active in the political struggle of Baloch people’s rights on their own land, Balochistan. Most of the rights campaigners are either killed in Balochistan or abducted by security forces. Only a few are the lucky ones whose names are neither included in the victims of Enforced Disappearances nor in people who are extra judicially killed so far. And Pir Jan is one of the lucky ones.
Baloch Human Rights Organization staged a protest demonstration in front of Turbat Press Club to raise voice against the siege of the family, but it seems nothing is working.
Problem is, what do family members have to do with the political ideology or opinion of another individuals? Why a whole family has to be punished this way for bearing sons who are not agreed with the policies of a central government, driven by the security forces? What does a two years old baby have to do with the Nationalism of Pir Jan?
There is a conflict since the beginning of year 2000 in Balochistan.
You may see, sometimes Balochi books are banned. Publishers are abducted. People have gone missing.
Pakistan is the Diplomatic Border which constitutes Balochistan. People and organizations in Balochistan accept the legitimacy of Pakistan’s rule or not, but its responsibility of Government of Pakistan to not let a common citizen suffer in this conflict, especially when Government claims that the public of Balochistan has nothing to do with this conflict.
Another issue is with Human Rights Organizations and the Media Outlets. No media of Pakistan is visiting Balochistan. No Human Rights groups seems to be interested to visit Balochistan.
Then, finally, there is only one question;
What shall a common citizen in Balochistan do? Shall a lady like Han Bibi Keep living as a hostage and cook for months and weeks for the sieging forces while all the supplies of the house are already disconnected?
