Inspired by Gandhi, Pak man launches march for human rights

ISLAMABAD: In the spirit of the march that Gandhi took, a man from Pakistan’s troubled province of Balochistan has decided to march for his rights to Islamabad.

Mama Qadeer Baloch started his march in

October 2013 from Quetta. After almost a month, he and his fellow processionists arrived to a warm welcome in Karachi, walking for more than 700 km.

Now, the march is headed north and is in nearing Islamabad, the ultimate destination. The temperature has started to grow colder. There are almost 25 families walking with Mama Qadeer.

All of them have seen one or more members of their family disappear, ostensibly abducted by the country’s intelligence agencies which is conducting a dirty war against separatists in Balochistan. They want answers.

Among the participants is the seven-year-old son of Jelil Reki who was allegedly tortured to death. Others include people like Nasrullah Baloch whose uncle has been missing for eleven years, and youth activist Farzana Majeed whose brother was arrested by a Pakistani paramilitary force in 2009, and has been missing ever since.

Mama Qadeer’s march reached of Wazirabad earlier this week. The processionists told the media that the security detail around them suddenly increased dramatically and for the first time a contingent of lady police also started to accompany them.

Following a number of threatening calls, Qadeer has also appealed to civil society for support. But the group is undeterred. For the past four months, they have spent their nights sleeping in the open air and at small towns and villages along the route. They say they cannot quit now.