Indian mission in Geneva behind anti-Pakistan campaign

GENEVA: Diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Switzerland are at the knife-edge over an expensive multi-faceted campaign in Geneva - targeting Pakistan.

Geo News witnessed and filmed the campaign blitz that’s being run on billboards, trams, buses, rickshaws, websites and an army of paid volunteers who are dedicating to running this campaign to malign Pakistan at a time when 36th session of the UNHRC is underway.

An investigation by this reporter establishes that Indian mission in Geneva is controlling anti-Pakistan activities and the local Swiss administration has been paid heavy amounts in commercial deals for these campaigns across its public transport, road networks and private business venues.

“Free Baluchistan” posters have appeared on dozens of billboards across the UN Human Right Commission (UNHRC) building in Central Geneva in almost a square mile, sponsored by an organisation called “Baluchistan House”.

Geo News had revealed exclusively on ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’ last year how European and African students and asylum seekers were paid daily wages to hold anti-Pakistan demonstrations outside the UNHRC building – by an influential European NGO operating from Brussels.

The “Free Baluchistan” posters have been decorated on the local trams, running around the UNHRC building, and buses with routes leading to and around the UN buildings.

Ambassador Farukh Amil, the permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations (UN), has written to the Swiss authorities to take action against “Free Baluchistan” posters and Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Monday summoned to the Foreign Office Switzerland’s Ambassador-designate Thomas Kolly to condemn the anti-Pakistan posters. Pakistan told the Swiss envoy that activities on its soil were against “Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, in contravention of the UN Charter and international law”. Ambassador Farukh Amil told the Swiss authorities in his letter, “It is quite conceivable that local city authorities received certain revenue fee for display of these posters,” and stressed that “any notion of 'Free Baluchistan' is a flagrant attack on [the] sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan.”

The letter added: “The use of Swiss soil by terrorists and violent secessionists for nefarious designs against Pakistan and its 200 million people is totally unacceptable,” said the ambassador, demanding that “the incident is fully investigated with a view to blocking its recurrence in future.”

The ambassador also expressed hope that the Swiss authorities would, “proceed against the local accomplices of the BLA and deal with those individual/companies”.  This correspondent has learnt, after making inquiries at the local government council that the “Baluchistan House” has signed “commercial contracts” with the local city government as well as advertising companies to “service” the campaign and any cancelation of the campaign could result in legal claims.

This correspondent drove around the city, on the route of the posters, and more than two dozen billboards were spotted in areas of diplomatic community and international delegates who normally live in these areas during the yearly sessions of the UNHRC. The carefully placed posters were in both static and rolling format and light shone at them at night.

Just outside the UNHRC headquarters and under and around the iconic ‘Broken Chair’, over a dozen cycle rickshaws or taxi bikes were spotted decorated in posters with slogans “Save the Minorities in Pakistan, a journey into the heart of the Pakistan’s religious minorities” – sponsored by a mystery organisation called European Organisation for Pakistani Minorities (EOPM). These rickshaws go round in circle around the ‘Broken Chair’ and nearby fountains which are frequented by international delegates and tourists all day long. All across the roads, around 6 rickshaws were seen for two days going around the area and publicising anti-Pakistan slogans. When asked if they knew anything about the organisers, the drivers said they were hired for 500 franc each and were doing only their job. They said a company had hired their services for three weeks with instructions to provide free rides to tourists in the taxi bikes. The same bikes also advertised a conference on Pakistani minorities on 24th, 25th & 26th in a nearby 5-star hotel. A local music band has been hired which performs daily near the ‘Broken Chair’ on Pakistani minorities but no organiser or no supporter can be seen around at anytime.

A separate standee campaign carrying colourful slogans against Pakistan with focus on minorities has also been rolled out by a group calling itself European Organisation for Pakistani Minorities and Pakistan Human Rights Organisation. These standees were manned by two European teenagers. When asked if they had anything to do with this campaign, they said they were brought over from a local university to do the 6 hours shift and were paid 350 francs each. They said they offer their services for such purposes to anyone who pays them cash-in-hand. These standees carry slogans against violence on women and acid attacks but the organsiatiion sponsoring these standees is dubious.

A seasoned campaigner, who has been active at the UNHRC for over a decade, told on condition of anonymity that the overall worth of the campaign is not less than 2 million Swiss franc alone in signing deals to carry the campaign content. He said the slick operation was planned for months carefully and then rolled out as soon as the UNHRC session started. He said he had witnessed that around five vehicles carrying volunteers and the campaign material roamed the UNHRC headquarters and ensured that standees and banners are delivered on time everyday and picked up when the session is closed. He said these vehicles were being managed by the local Indian mission in Geneva and its officials were seen providing guidance and help to European paid workers.

The posters carrying anti-Pakistan posters have also been plastered outside the local trams and buses, mentioning “Baluchistan” but without making any mention of Pakistan. It’s understood that just one poster contract for a month on a lamppost display costs between 4-5 thousand franc.

A Pakistan Foreign Office source told this correspondent that protest has been lodged with the Swiss government and the Swiss ambassador promised that it will be passed to the Swiss government.