Two Balochistan-based human rights groups on Sunday announced their merger.
The decision came in the midst of escalating rights abuses in war-torn Balochistan where thousands of cases of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings have come to limelight since early 2000s.
The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) and the Baloch Human Rights Organization (BHRO) announced the decision on their Twitter account, adding that they came to the conclusion during a joint meeting on February 9.
The Baloch Human Rights Organization (BHRO) and the Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) have decided in favour of a merger after prolonged deliberations.
The decision was reached in a joint meeting on February 9. The united group— HR Council of Balochistan (@HRCBalochistan) February 16, 2020
“The united group will henceforth be called the Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB),” according to a joint statement issued Sunday morning.
The previous cabinets of the groups have been dissolved and a transitional cabinet has been formed. The permanent cabinet will be elected within three-six months.
“A Governing Body will be formed during this transitional period which will then elect the group’s cabinet,” reads the statement.
Both groups have jointly been monitoring and reporting Balochistan-related human rights abuses for quite some time now.
Bibi Gul, who previously served as BHRO’s Chairperson, will lead the temporary cabinet. She took part in the famous Quetta-Islamabad long march by the family members of missing persons in 2013.
Taj Baloch, a Sweden-based Baloch poet and the former HRCB Chairman, will serve as the united group’s new Coordinator.
Lateef Johar was named as Deputy Coordinator, Abdullah Abbas as Information Secretary and Abdul Malik as Administrator.
