ISLAMABAD: Families of people who disappeared in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province ended a 10-day sit-in near parliament in Islamabad on Saturday, after a government minister promised to look into their relatives’ case files.
The dozens of protesters say there has never been a proper enquiry into the fate of their loved ones, who they allege were kidnapped by state security forces over the past 12 years.
The government’s stance has long been that the individuals had joined extremist groups and were either killed in fighting or still at large as fugitives.
“We want rule of law in this country, and an end to forced disappearances,” said Nasrullah Baloch, leader of the Voice of Baloch Missing Persons organization.
”Those missing should be brought to court of law and innocents be freed,” he said, adding that the government had assured him Prime Minister Imran Khan would meet a delegation from the group and give priority to the protesters’ relatives.
Rights groups say thousands of individuals have been forcibly disappeared in the region since a separatist insurgency began there a dozen years ago. The province borders Afghanistan in the country’s southwest and has its own majority ethnic group.
The families had come from the region and slept in the open near parliament, holding placards by day and braving cold weather by night.
Human Rights Minister Dr. Shireen Mazari said the government was committed to stop enforced disappearances and was putting forward legislation to that effect.
Balochistan has experienced a low-level insurgency for over a decade over demands for autonomy or a greater share of the local mineral and gas wealth. Activists accuse the army of excesses in their crackdown, and being responsible for the disappearance of Baloch youths for years.
Pakistanis seeking disappeared Baloch relatives end sit-in
https://arab.news/ndu2q
Pakistanis seeking disappeared Baloch relatives end sit-in
- Baloch protesters say there has never been a proper inquiry into the fate of their loved ones
- The country’s human rights minister maintains the government is working on legislation to stop enforced disappearances
World Bank president in Pakistan to discuss development projects, policy issues
- Pakistan, World Bank are currently gearing up to implement a 10-year partnership framework to grant $20 billion loans to the cash-strapped nation
- World Bank President Ajay Banga will hold meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials during the high-level visit
ISLAMABAD: World Bank President Ajay Banga has arrived in Pakistan to hold talks with senior government officials on development projects and key policy issues, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday, as Islamabad seeks multilateral support to stabilize economy and accelerate growth.
The visit comes at a time when Pakistan and the World Bank are gearing up to implement a 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF) to grant $20 billion in loans to the cash-strapped nation.
The World Bank’s lending for Pakistan, due to start this year, will focus on education quality, child stunting, climate resilience, energy efficiency, inclusive development and private investment.
"World Bank President Ajay Banga arrives in Pakistan for a high-level visit," the state-run Pakistan TV Digital reported on Sunday. "During his stay, he will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials to discuss economic reforms, development projects, and key policy issues."
Pakistan, which nearly defaulted on its foreign debt obligations in 2023, is currently making efforts to stabilize its economy under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
Besides efforts to boost trade and foreign investment, Islamabad has been seeking support from multilateral financial institutions to ensure economic recovery.
“This partnership fosters a unified and focused vision for your county around six outcomes with clear, tangible and ambitious 10-year targets,” Martin Raiser, the World Bank vice president for South Asia, had said at the launch of the CPF in Jan. last year.
“We hope that the CPF will serve as an anchor for this engagement to keep us on the right track. Partnerships will equally be critical. More resources will be needed to have the impact at the scale that we wish to achieve and this will require close collaboration with all the development partners.”
In Dec., the World Bank said it had approved $700 million in financing for Pakistan under a multi-year initiative aimed at supporting the country's macroeconomic stability and service delivery.
It followed a $47.9 million World Bank grant in August last year to improve primary education in Pakistan's most populous Punjab province.
