Open Letter: Choreographing Subversion in Pakistan from British soil.

[Kompromat]

The Rt Hon

Amber Rudd MP

Secretary of State for the Home Department of the United Kingdom

Dear Amber,

I am writing this letter with reference to the display of “Free Balochistan” slogans on London cabs in past few days. In this regard, our Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua summoned your High Commissioner to Pakistan Thomas Drew, and conveyed Pakistan’s serious concern over the controversial slogans.

Pakistan is a sovereign state which respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries. It also wishes that other countries should reciprocate the same gesture. It is very saddening to see that the soil of a friendly country is being used for anti-Pakistan activities.

This slogan campaign is a continuation of “Free Balochistan” posters' campaign in Geneva two months ago. The Geneva campaign was sponsored by Balochistan House, a think tank linked to Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). It is important to remind you Madam Secretary that your government proscribed BLA as a terrorist organization in July, 2006. The Chief of BLA Hyrbyair Marri is currently residing in the UK and is promoting anti-state activities under the disguise of the “Free Balochistan Movement”.

I firmly believe that the slogans campaign is also being sponsored by BLA and like-minded terror outfits, under the disguise of freedom of speech and expression, to defame Pakistan on a global scale. Madam Secretary, I would like you, along with your delegation, to visit Balochistan in near future to have first hand knowledge regarding the hatred of the local people towards these outfits, who have mostly targeted innocent civilians by claiming that they are waging an armed struggle for the so-called “Independent Balochistan State”.

I request you to take action against Hyrbyair Marri, his terror outfit and those who are supporting the “Free Balochistan” campaign. You can reach out to me for any assistance on behalf of Government of Balochistan in order to take action against BLA and its supporters.

For decades, Pakistan and the UK have cooperated with each other in various areas including education, economy, security etc. Pakistan values its cooperation with the UK and hopes that the cooperation between the two countries is further enhanced in years to come. In the era of the ever-changing global order, countries look out for long-term allies. I firmly believe that the UK values its relationship with Pakistan.

Best Regards

Mir Sarfraz Bugti

Minister of Home & Tribal Affairs, Prisons Government of Balochistan
Pakistan

 

[El_Swordsmen]

Mir Sarfraz Bugti

Minister of Home & Tribal Affairs, Prisons Government of Balochistan
Pakistan

 

[Taimoor Khan]

Just like UK will not like a bit if Pakistan host the IRA lot, UK on its part is becoming the hotbed of all anti Pakistan entities and individuals. Either British government has lost control of MI6 or they are complacent. Either way, the mess needs to be cleared before a similar sort of incident happen like Alexander litvinenko where Pakistan as state has to act on its own to protect its national security and cause an unnecessary diplomatic rupture in the relations.

 

[VCheng]

Hasn't it been reported that TfL launched an investigation into the matter. Any results?

 

[Areesh]

It about time that interior minister of Balochistan instead of writing letters on stupid issues focus on real issues that actually matter.

Like eliminating terror network that still exists in Balochistan and sending Afghan refugees back that are present all over Balochistan and are a security threat to province and Pakistan.

 

[Thevarr]

well considering the panicked response that pakistan has given.........looks like the test run was successful.

It is only logical to expect more.

kinda ironic that pakistan is more worried about posters in uk cabs than the actual place itself..lolz

i guess world image is everything

 

[GumNaam]

We should post "Free Ireland" and "Free Scotland" on our cabs and buses.

 

[Zarvan]

well considering the panicked response that pakistan has given.........looks like the test run was successful.

It is only logical to expect more.

kinda ironic that pakistan is more worried about posters in uk cabs than the actual place itself..lolz

i guess world image is everything

Actual place is fine but don't worry we would return the favor in ways you won't like at all

 

[xyxmt]

It about time that interior minister of Balochistan instead of writing letters on stupid issues focus on real issues that actually matter.

Like eliminating terror network that still exists in Balochistan and sending Afghan refugees back that are present all over Balochistan and are a security threat to province and Pakistan.

had he done that then you post would be to do something about those advertisements.

 

[TMA]

Just like UK will not like a bit if Pakistan host the IRA lot, UK on its part is becoming the hotbed of all anti Pakistan entities and individuals. Either British government has lost control of MI6 or they are complacent. Either way, the mess needs to be cleared before a similar sort of incident happen like Alexander litvinenko where Pakistan as state has to act on its own to protect its national security and cause an unnecessary diplomatic rupture in the relations.

The Deep State is at work.

 

[Areesh]

had he done that then you post would be to do something about those advertisements.

Not really. Those advertisements are meaningless and are not his responsibility anyways.

 

[ShoutB]

This slogan campaign is a continuation of “Free Balochistan” posters' campaign in Geneva two months ago. The Geneva campaign was sponsored by Balochistan House, a think tank linked to Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). It is important to remind you Madam Secretary that your government proscribed BLA as a terrorist organization in July, 2006. The Chief of BLA Hyrbyair Marri is currently residing in the UK and is promoting anti-state activities under the disguise of the “Free Balochistan Movement”.

Too much contradiction to Pakistan's foreign policy.


First Pakistani civilian needs to realize that their support to Jamat ul Dawa and LeT, HuM can be traced to London too, as lot of aid sent for betterment is used in other bad activities. Where a lot of Pakistani origin people having or not having links to Kashmir are many times found protesting against India. So if Pakistanis can use that space as a freedom of speech then why not others?

They also need to understand that there are a lot of people who under disguise of '' free Kashmir'' carry out anti state activities, but India takes it as freedom of speech and acts accordingly. Because India's own constitution has democratic value and allows protests in Kashmir unless until it gets violet.

Pakistan is in no state to make such directives to a democratic nation.

 

[Taimoor Khan]

Too much contradiction to Pakistan's foreign policy.


First Pakistani civilian needs to realize that their support to Jamat ul Dawa and LeT, HuM can be traced to London too, as lot of aid sent for betterment is used in other bad activities. Where a lot of Pakistani origin people having or not having links to Kashmir are many times found protesting against India. So if Pakistanis can use that space as a freedom of speech then why not others?

They also need to understand that there are a lot of people who under disguise of '' free Kashmir'' carry out anti state activities, but India takes it as freedom of speech and acts accordingly. Because India's own constitution has democratic value and allows protests in Kashmir unless until it gets violet.

Pakistan is in no state to make such directives to a democratic nation.

The bold part. Kashmir. Its a disputed territory. While Baluchistan is a sovereign part of Pakistan. If we start backing up "Free Hyderabad" slogans, then you have the right to moan.

 

[VCheng]

Posted without any comment for discussion:

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...nsport-for-london-banned-balochistan-pakistan

A ban on adverts defending human rights? TfL must think again
Peter Tatchell
The taxi ads were telling people about atrocities in Balochistan, but Transport for London appears to have given in to Pakistani government pressure



‘Why was TfL so quick to order the adverts removed?’ The London taxi adverts from the World Baloch Organisation. Photograph: World Baloch Organisation



Transport for London appears to have caved in to pressure from the Pakistan government and banned London taxi advertisements that draw attention to its human rights abuses in the war-torn disputed province of Balochistan. Islamabad denounced the advertising campaign as “malicious”, “anti-Pakistan” and an attack on the country’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity”. It has demanded the British government removes the adverts, which were emblazoned with the words “#FreeBalochistan. Raise your voice. Save the Baloch people.”

Pakistan’s high commissioner in London, Syed Ibne Abbas, requested the Foreign Office ban the adverts. The UK high commissioner to Pakistan, Thomas Drew, was summoned by the government of Pakistan and told that such adverts “should not be allowed”.

Within 24 hours, TfL ordered the adverts to be pulled, ostensibly on the grounds that they were “controversial and sensitive” in violation of clause (h) of its advertising policy. However, the advert organisers, the World Baloch Organisation (WBO), argue that most reasonable people would not regard the wording as controversial or sensitive. They note that clause (h) states that adverts promoting humanitarian-type causes will “not normally be disapproved”, even if they are controversial or sensitive.

So why was TfL so quick to order the adverts be removed? It looks like a panicked reaction to Pakistani lobbying and, possibly, to pressure from the Foreign Office, which often seems to prioritise good relations with Pakistan and ignore its many human rights violations. Undeterred, the WBO has launched phase two of the campaign: billboard adverts on London roads.

Bhawal Mengal of the WBO is one of the advert organisers. He’s exiled in the UK, fearing that if he was active in Balochistan he’d be killed by Pakistan government agents. Five of his relatives have been jailed or murdered. “The bullying tactics of Pakistan are an attack on freedom of expression,” he said. “They are a bid to censor the voice of the Baloch people and cover up war crimes by the Pakistan army in Balochistan.

“Pakistan’s aggressive reaction is an attempt to intimidate the UK government and Baloch human rights defenders. We do not believe our adverts violate TfL policies. They are not political. Our advertising has a human rights theme similar to the Amnesty International adverts in 2016 in support of the Human Rights Act, which were accepted by TfL. The call to free Balochistan is consistent with the human rights principle of the right to self-determination, which is enshrined in the UN charter. We will appeal against the ban.”

Balochistan was previously a British protectorate that was granted independence in 1947. It was forcefully annexed by Pakistan in 1948, against the people’s will, and has been militarily occupied ever since. Pakistan has consistently refused a referendum on independence. It knows it would lose the vote.

WBO activists allege that Pakistan is seeking to impose on the UK the same censorship about Balochistan that it imposes inside Pakistan. It’s iron-fisted rule is so brutal that it will not allow journalists, human rights monitors and aid agencies to enter Balochistan. These adverts are necessary to expose the crimes of Pakistani forces, they argue.

WBO human rights campaigner, Noordin Mengal, a grandson of two veteran nationalist leaders and former parliamentarians who were jailed by Islamabad, added: “The aim of our #FreeBalochistan adverts is to alert the British public, media and politicians to Pakistan’s secret, dirty war in Balochistan. This war of terror involves the indiscriminate aerial bombardment of Baloch villages, and the kidnapping, torture and assassination by Pakistan’s army and intelligence agencies of anyone who peacefully opposes the military occupation and human rights abuses.

“Tens of thousands of Baloch people have been murdered or disappeared by Pakistani security forces. The killings are happening right now and are aided indirectly by the US, which has supplied the F-16 fighter jets and Cobra attack helicopters that are being diverted and misused to attack Baloch civilians.”

TfL needs to rethink its decision. The appearance of kowtowing to a government that is committing daily atrocities is a bad look. I hope the mayor of London will intervene to get WBO’s adverts reinstated.

• Peter Tatchell is a human rights campaigner



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I still cannot find any official comments from TfL, though, describing their decision.

 

[ShoutB]

The bold part. Kashmir. Its a disputed territory. While Baluchistan is a sovereign part of Pakistan.

Just like Muslim league demanded Pakistan out of no dispute.
Balochis have right to demand too.

By the way, it's not Kashmir its Jammu and Kashmir, first learn to take the name of the state.