Toronto [Canada], June 30 (ANI): Members of Pakistan's minority groups raised several issues related to state atrocities, human rights violations, and systematic discrimination in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

These concerns were raised during a seminar hosted by the World Sindhi Congress in Toronto, Canada. The representatives of the oppressed groups that participated in the seminar include Sindhi, Baloch, Pashtun, and Seraiki, the Balochistan Affairs reported.

The seminar was attended by several writers, journalists, and poets who expressed their views on politics, the history of the Subcontinent, and the rising tide of Islamist extremism sponsored by the Pakistani state and its security apparatus, it added.

Pakistan's policies were strongly criticized by the representatives and human rights defenders, and they claimed the country to be the state sponsor of terrorism, a destabiliser of peace and democratic societies in the region.

The "Two Nation Theory" was also strongly criticized and the activists called it a disaster that destroyed South Asia's ancient Indus Valley Civilizations and peace.

Rights experts say that Pakistan's military establishment is a colonial army that runs the state to subjugate minorities and deprive them of their natural wealth and resources.

Sami Jan Mengal, Baloch Human Rights Council of Canada, said that the state structure in Pakistan is a tool of the colonial masters that is polished and designed to rule over the oppressed nations, conquered and subjugated as British subjects, it added.

Mengal mentioned that the energy-rich Balochistan province lost its national sovereignty after being invaded by the Pakistan Army in 1948.

The statements made by lawmakers, officials, and judges of the Islamabad High Court regarding the ethnic profiling of Baloch students by the state security forces also show that Human rights are not the same for everyone, the Baloch activist said adding that there has been a rise in Balochistan's enforced disappearances.

According to the representative, Balochistan is not different from Ukraine, and like Ukraine, they demand the same support from the international community for the oppressed nations in South Asia and the Middle East.

Nader Baloch said that colonialism, monarchy, military rule, and Shia extremism are some of the major issues faced by the Baloch in Iran and as a result, they played a major role in eliminating their national identity, culture, and self-determination over our land and resources.

The Baloch activist also mentioned that every Baloch child born in western Balochistan is forced to choose a name from a list approved by Tehran, and the regime has not allowed them to promote Balochi as a language and as a medium of instruction in schools and universities.

The previous and the present government has implemented a ban on Balochi publications, news, poetry, songs, and music and they face discrimination in education, economic development, and employment. (ANI)