April 16, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 9, 1429

KARACHI, April 15: Baloch women speaking at a forum here on Tuesday expressed their dismay over the plight of their community in Karachi and other parts of the country, and resolved to continue the struggle for democracy and fundamental rights.

They renewed their pledge to work harder for the unity and progress of the Baloch community.The forum was organised by the women’s wing of the Baloch Rabita Ittefaq Tehrik (Brit), an organisation working for social awareness among the Baloch people.

The women wing has been revived by the Brit chief, Prince Mohyuddin Baloch, and reorganised by a committee headed by Mehr Nigar.

Attended by a large number of Baloch women activists, the forum observed that successive governments had pledged to improve the quality of life in Balochistan and Baloch dominated areas in other parts of the country but there had been no change so far in their standard of living as the Baloch people continued to live in abject poverty everywhere in the country. Illiteracy appeared to be another issue being faced by the community, it noted.

The speakers said that Baloch people always supported democratic forces and participated in the struggle for the restoration of democracy but the parties reaching the power corridors with their votes always betrayed them.

The rulers not only failed to deliver the goods but also reneged on their commitments pertaining to the uplift of the Baloch community, they added.

They deplored that the Baloch population everywhere in the country remained deprived of even basic amenities and no government over the past six decades made any serious move to resolve their problems and provide them with their fundamental rights.