Karima Baloch, chairperson of Baloch Student Organisation, had a message for Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. In a video, the young activist said, "Hum apni jung khud lad lege, aap bas humari awaaz ban jae [We will fight our own war, you just be our voice]."
In the video posted on activist Tarek Fatah’s Youtube channel, Baloch urged Modi to draw the world's attention to the human rights violations in Balochistan. This comes only three days after Modi mentioned Balochistan in his Independence Day speech.
"The people of Balochistan, the people of Gilgit, the people of Pak-occupied Kashmir have thanked me in such a manner, from places that I have never been and never had a chance to meet, they have sent wishes to the people of India and thanked us," Modi said. "I am grateful to them."
On Thursday, Pakistan criticised Modi's mention of the region in his speech. Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Nafees Zakaria claimed the prime minister violated a “United Nations Charter” by referring to the province. Balochistan province in Pakistan is the site of one of the world’s longest-running continuous insurgences as a number of Baloch groups continue to fight the Pakistani army.
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