The World Baloch Organisation (WBO) launched, earlier this month, an advertising campaign on London taxis, buses and roads focused on highlighting Pakistan’s human rights abuses in Balochistan.
Despite attempts by the Pakistan government and Transport for London (TfL) to censor our advertising campaign, removing banners from cabs and buses, our billboard advertising campaign is going ahead on roadsides all over London.
Furthermore, the WBO has added new messages and a new design to its #FreeBalochistan billboard campaign in London, with the slogan “Raise your voice against Human rights abuses in Balochistan”. The campaign is ongoing on roads all around the city and its surroundings, catching the attention of Londoners by highlighting Pakistan’s war crimes and human rights abuses in occupied Balochistan.
The WBO has repeatedly urged the International community to hold Pakistan accountable for its crimes against humanity in Balochistan, including the numerous and frequent cases of enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings and torture.
Bhawal Mengal, responsible for the organisation of WBO’s campaign, said: “Our campaign aims to highlight the situation in Balochistan, which has long been concealed. Local journalists are not allowed to report on the situation – the ones who do are either abducted or killed – and the international media is prevented from entering Balochistan. Therefore, we believe such campaigns can be very effective in highlighting the situation, attracting attention from public opinion and gaining support in our struggle for human rights”.
Pakistan has denounced the advertising campaign as “malicious”, “anti-Pakistan” and an attack on the country’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
The Pakistani High Commissioner in London, Syed Ibne Abbas, has called on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London to order the banning of the adverts. The UK Ambassador to Pakistan, Thomas Drew, has been summoned by the Goverment of Pakistan and stated that such adverts “should not be allowed.”, a statement condemned by WBO, which has acted strictly in the terms of law and under the universal right to freedom of expression.
The WBO maintains that it will continue with the campaign, peacefully and respectfully, speaking out against human rights violations in Balochistan.
