Balochis living in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan have been subjected to attacks and persecution by these states for years. The Balochi people, who have been struggling for their rights against attacks for many years, are still being massacred. Naela Quadri, the Prime Minister of the Balochistan government-in-exile, spoke to ANF about the experiences of the Balochi people.

When was the Balochistan government-in-exile established and what is its purpose?

The Government of Balochistan-in-exile was established in 2016. On March 21, 2022, we established diplomatic relations with international institutions, including the United Nations, and human rights organizations that support the liberation of Balochistan. The Balochi issue is not an internal issue in Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Baloch people want self-rule in their country. Our goal is to liberate Balochistan and establish a democratic and peaceful state. All surface and underground resources should be shared equally by the people of Balochistan. We are fighting for 60 million Balochistanis to get their rights.

How do you evaluate the attacks and rights violations against the Baloch people?

There are serious criminal attacks against the Baloch people. The states of Iran and Pakistan continue to persecute the Baloch people. The Baloch people are facing genocide as defined in Article 2 of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Hundreds of old graves have been found where the bodies of slaughtered women, children and men were dumped. Doctors who examined these graves found that the victims had been buried alive. Counter-terrorism management is itself an instrument of terror. There are also hundreds of unmarked bodies riddled with bullets and tortured. The bodies of thousands of Baloch were found mutilated. In October 2022, nearly 500 bodies were found on the roof of Noshtar Miltan hospital. At the same time, the Pakistani army has tortured and raped many Baloch women.

How do you see the struggle of Kurdish women against ISIS gangs?

The struggle of Kurdish women against ISIS is a historic epic in the world, an unforgettable story of these women defending their honor and sacrificing their lives. Kurdish women are a very important example in the world in terms of struggle. We hope that the women of the world will be like Kurdish women. The resistance and strength of Kurdish women cannot be measured.