Quetta, Feb 10 (IANS) Baloch rights advocates have severely criticised an international digital news outlet after it removed an online interview with 21-year-old UK-based Baloch activist Yusuf Baluch shortly after its publication, local media reported.
The interview, initially shared on social media, featured Baluch talking about issues faced by people of Balochistan, including what he termed state occupation, human rights violations, forced disappearances and the environmental crisis. However, the video was deleted from social media within a short time of being posted, sparking criticism from journalists and activists, The Balochistan Post reported.
“Al Jazeera removed my interview after publication, citing a “security issue,” without further explanation. When factual discussion is considered unsafe for major networks in Pakistan, it raises serious concerns about the reality faced by ordinary people,” Yuusf Baluch posted on X on February 8.
Several activists took to X to condemn what they termed as censorship of critical voices. Raising questions over editorial independence, Taj Baloch, a journalist and columnist, in a post on X stated, “Strange. AJ Plus has removed the interview of Yusuf Baluch, an activist who discussed the situation of Balochistan. Is this an ethical way of journalism?”
Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) Executive Director Abdullah Abbas Baluch asked whether political pressures impacted the decision. “Media censorship of Baloch voices in Pakistan has no limits. AJ Plus removed its interview … Does Pakistan’s establishment have such deep influence over AJ English that it decides which voices are seen and which are silenced?,” The Balochistan Post quoted Abdullah Abbas Baluch as saying.
Another activist and journalist Naeema Zehri wrote, “Hey AJ Plus, why did you delete the video of Baloch activist Yusuf Baluch? Erasing Baloch voices raises serious questions.”
Noor-e-Maryam Kanwar criticised the media outlet for removing Yusuf Baluch’s interview and blamed Pakistan for censoring dissidents and Baloch people internationally.
“This is how Pakistan censors dissidents and Baloch people internationally. It’s extremely rare that any genuine Baloch voice gets space internationally. Mostly its compromised people with a certain state agenda. Removing Yusuf Baluch ‘s interview is a real low for AJ Plus,” Noor e Maryam Kanwar posted on X.
According to the daily, the media outlet and its parent network, Al Jazeera, have not yet issued any official statement on why it deleted the interview from social media or whether editorial, legal, or external political considerations played a role in the decision.
On Sunday, the Baloch National Movement (BNM) organised a protest at Porta Nigra Square in the German city of Trier to draw international attention to the ongoing systematic and grave human rights violations in Balochistan by the Pakistani forces.
Expressing solidarity with the people of Balochistan, the protesters voiced serious concern over enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and Pakistan’s repression against political dissenters and human rights activists. The participants stated that these actions are being carried out in an organised manner by the Pakistani authorities.
“Through placards, banners, and speeches, the protesters urged the international community, global human rights organisations, and the media to break their silence on the situation in Balochistan. Speakers emphasised that despite decades of documented and persistent human rights abuses, the suffering of the Baloch nation continues to be ignored on international platforms,” the BNM stated.
During the protest, the speakers noted that the “families of the disappeared — especially mothers and children — have been demanding justice and the safe return of their loved ones through peaceful struggle for years, yet they are being subjected to collective punishment instead of receiving justice.” The speakers also criticised the actions of the Pakistan Army, alleging that it is using force against civilians in Balochistan.
–IANS
akl/as