Quetta, Nov 15 (IANS) The Baloch National Movement (BNM) organised commemorative ceremonies worldwide and in several districts of Balochistan to mark Baloch Martyrs’ Day, where political leaders and human rights defenders highlighted Pakistan’s occupation of the region and the escalating human rights crisis.

Baloch communities worldwide observed November 13 as Baloch Martyrs’ Day, offering tribute to those who lost their lives fighting for national rights, dignity and freedom of Balochistan.

Addressing an event in Balochistan’s Awaran district, BNM Chairman Naseem Baloch said that the purpose of Martyrs’ Day is not only to remember martyrs, but to renew the commitment to continue their mission.

“The martyrs fulfilled their responsibility. Now the rest of the journey lies on the shoulders of the living. We are the ideological heirs of the martyrs, and when we joined the party, we swore to carry forward their mission. We must strengthen our institutions and take the movement forward,” BNM quoted Naseem Baloch as saying.

The ceremony was also addressed by BNM Secretary of Information and Culture Qazi Dad Muhammad Rehan, Central Committee member Chief Aslam Baloch, Zone President Ustad Mehran, Vice President Talar Naz, and Finance Secretary Meerak Baloch.

In the Netherlands, the BNM organised a seminar, attended by representatives from both the Baloch National Movement and the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).

Speakers emphasised that it is the moral and national duty of Baloch youth to understand the mission for which the martyrs laid down their lives — to carry it forward and to promote their national identity at every level.

The Baloch National Movement (BNM) held its central event marking Baloch Martyrs’ Day in Berlin, Germany, joined by political leaders and human rights activists from various nations.

In his keynote address, Naseem Baloch, Chairman of BNM, said that “Pakistan seeks to silence the Baloch people through the barrel of a gun, but state repression has only deepened their yearning for freedom. He reminded that on 27 March 1948, the Pakistan army forcibly occupied Balochistan, and today the land remains under a climate of fear dominated by military camps and watchtowers. He noted that enforced disappearances of Baloch youth and the discovery of mutilated bodies continue, yet the Baloch nation refuses to bow down.”

–IANS

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