Mr. Janusz Onyszkiewicz Vice President European Parliament and 66 other Members of the European Parliament jointly submitted a petition to President Josep Borell, President European Parliament urging him to impress upon the Government of Pakistan to stop the killing of Innocent Women and Children in Pakistan's Balochistan Province.

The people of Balochistan, a province located along the borders of Pakistan with Iran and Afghanistan , are being subjected to an armed onslaught by Pakistan's armed forces , when they have only sought to articulate their grievances and seek their just rights . The Baloch have long protested that while the rest of Pakistan has prospered through the exploitation of their province's resources by the Government of Pakistan, Balochistan itself remains the most backward province in Pakistan devoid of development or adequate employment opportunities. The Baloch fear that the policies of the present government, like the Government's of the past, appear geared to changing the demographics of the province; turning the Baloch into a minority in their own homeland; and exploiting their resources for the benefit of a dominant Punjab.

The unwarranted military action by Pakistan's armed forces, has spared neither women nor children resulting in widespread human rights violations. The situation has been exacerbated by the attempts of the military government of General Pervez Musharraf , to tarnish the image of the Baloch leaders; indulge in manipulations to pit tribe against tribe and clan against clan; and rubbish the genuine grievances of the people ; while refusing to deal honestly with the deprivation of the province. The media and NGOs have not been allowed free and unfettered access to the areas targeted by Pakistan's forces making it impossible for the world community to acquaint itself with the real picture of the horrendous situation in the province.

In the petition the Members of the European Parliament have requested that the economic and political rights of the population of Balochistan must be respected by Pakistan. The MEPs have called for the appointment of a special rapporteur on Balochistan; the closing down of the irregular detention camps; free access for the media and representatives of civil society including access to jails ; and guaranteed freedom to the Red Cross to operate freely in the region.

Mr. Onyszkiwiez also mentioned in a press conference that he and his colleagues will be organizing a conference on the Current Situation in Balochistan which will interalia have several victims of violence in Balochistan province speaking about their experiences.

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PR