Washington, April 20 : Tara Chand, President of the Baloch American Congress, has slammed Balochistanâ??s Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, calling him a "broker for Pakistani soldiers".

He also criticised the arrest of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders, including Mahrang Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch, and Bebow Baloch, alleging that they have been imprisoned for months without any justification.

â??You, a broker for Pakistani soldiers, and the so-called Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti should be ashamed of yourselves for arresting the innocent daughters of the Baloch nation, Mahrang Baloch, Gulzadi Baloch, and Bebow Baloch, and keeping them in jail for many months without any guilt. You call yourself Baloch, yet you imprison the daughters of Balochistan without justification. This shows that you are nothing more than a puppet of the soldiers, and your status is nothing beyond that," Chand wrote on X.

He also condemned the role of Baloch ministers and those in power, accusing them of functioning as "agents" of Pakistani soldiers within the provincial assembly.

â??All those Baloch sitting in the Balochistan government should also be ashamed. The ministers and everyone in power should stop calling themselves Baloch. Instead, they should recognise the shame in their actions. The time has come for the Baloch to take responsibility and hold accountable those acting as agents of Pakistani soldiers within the Balochistan assemblies," Chand added.

Last month, Naseem Baloch, Chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) called on the global community to end its silence over what he described as the â??illegal detention" of the BYC leaders who have been held in custody for over a year.

He said that the continued imprisonment amounts to a blatant violation of international human rights and due process.

â??It has been one year since the illegal detention of BYC leaders. One year of injustice, silence, and denial of basic rights. Their only â??crimeâ?? is raising their voice against enforced disappearances and state repression in Balochistan. This is not just unlawful; it is a blatant violation of international human rights and due process. The world must not stay silent,â?? Naseem posted on X.

Several other human rights organisations have recently called for the immediate release of the BYC leaders, demanding that all â??false and politically motivated chargesâ?? be dropped and that free, fair trials without state pressure must be ensured.

/IANS