Concerns over the human rights situation in Balochistan were brought to the attention of hundreds of trade union delegates during the annual National Delegate Conference of UNISON, the United Kingdom's largest public-sector union, held in Brighton from June 16 to 19.
Baloch Activists Raise Alarm
In a post shared on X, Baloch political activist Aomar Karim stated that the event, attended by around 1,000 delegates and a similar number of observers from across Britain, became a platform for Baloch activists seeking to highlight allegations of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, restrictions on free expression and the detention of members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
Campaign for Justice
Karim distributed campaign literature under the banner "Stop Silencing Balochistan's Voices," urging delegates to pay attention to what he described as a worsening human rights crisis in the province. The campaign sought to draw international focus to reports of abuses and encourage support for accountability and justice.
Addressing conference participants, Karim called on members of the Baloch diaspora to actively engage with trade unions, political organisations and human rights forums worldwide. He argued that international platforms offer an opportunity to raise awareness of issues affecting Baloch communities and amplify voices that he claimed are often ignored.
International Engagement
According to Karim, enforced disappearances and alleged human rights violations continue to impact Baloch men, women and children, making international engagement increasingly important. He stated that greater global awareness could help place Balochistan more prominently within international human rights discussions.
During the conference, Karim also met with several UNISON representatives, including National Executive Council member Stuart Graham, who reportedly expressed interest in promoting awareness of Baloch issues within the British labour movement and exploring future cooperation on the matter.
UNISON's annual gathering is regarded as one of the UK's largest trade union forums and regularly debates international issues, including conflicts and human rights concerns in regions such as Ukraine and Sudan.
