Baloch Human Rights Organization’s spokesperson in his statement, issued in media, said that the staff of press clubs of Karachi and Quetta didn’t allow Baloch Human Rights Organization and families of enforced disappeared persons for holding press conferences about enforced disappearance of students and human rights activist which is a condemnable act. Earlier, when Voice for Baloch Missing Persons tried to conduct a press conference in Quetta, Raza ur Rehman, president of the press club, and Abdul Khaliq denied booking of the conference room and said that they are being pressurised from the top that doesn’t allow anyone to hold a press conference about enforced disappeared persons. BHRO’s activists, Mama Qadeer and Nasrullah Baloch were compelled to hold their press conference outside the press club in the hunger strike camp of Missing Persons.
On October 28, 2017, forces abduct Nawaz Atta Baloch, Information Secretary of BHRO along with 8 other students. BHRO tried to hold a press conference in Quetta Press Club but was denied permission which is tragic. He further said that same is the situation in Karachi when on November 15, 4 students were abducted by forces from Karachi and on November 20, another student was abducted by forces from Karachi University campus in front of many other students in daylight and when BHRO and their families tried to hold a press conference, the staff denied permission. The families tried to approach Karachi Press Club’s President, Siraj Ahmed and Shakeel Yousafi but they didn’t respond.
The Spokesperson further said that whenever forces abduct any Baloch, the families approach police for filing cases but the police are denying to file cases against security forces and intelligence agencies and clearly saying that we cannot lodge FIR against security forces. Due to which, thousands of enforced disappeared cases are not being filed. Media is already not present in the rural areas and the only means for the families of enforced disappeared person to reach the people were the press clubs and now they are also closed for them which is tragic.
the spokesperson said that the journalists should fulfil their responsibilities and stop being the barrier for the voices against human rights violations
