Campaigners have explained why they flew a plane with a provocative message over Headingley during a Cricket World Cup match.
The small aircraft towing banners that read 'justice for Balochistan' and 'help end disappearances in Pakistan' circled Headingley Cricket Ground for around 20 minutes during the Pakistan v Afghanistan match on June 29.
There were violent clashes between rival fans before the match and the plane stunt is said to have prompted more confrontations.
The flight was chartered by campaigners, who said they are protesting against alleged kidnappings and human rights abuses by security forces in the Pakistani province of Balochistan, which also borders Afghanistan.
The security forces have controlled the region since 1947 and they have repeatedly been accused of persecuting members of some ethnic groups, such as the Balochs, who make up less than 5 per cent of the population.
The campaigners organised the stunt, as part of a wider campaign set up by World Baloch Organisation and the Baloch Republican Party.
In a statement, the campaigners said: “The victims of enforced disappearances and other human rights violations in Pakistan need the people from all walks of life to raise voice for them."
'We do not condone any sort of political messages'
The International Cricket Council (ICC), which organises the Cricket World Cup, condemned the stunt and the violence, which is currently being investigated by West Yorkshire Police.
An ICC spokesman said: “We do not condone any sort of political messages at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and will work with West Yorkshire police to deal with and understand why this has happened and to ensure it does not happen again.”
Headingley is under the busy flight path for Leeds Bradford Airport, but the Civil Aviation Authority say they have not received any complaints about a low-flying aircraft in that area of Leeds on June 29.
There have been investigations into alleged abductions and killings Balochistan, but according to the UK government they have 'so far produced few results'.
Campaigners claim around 1,000 bodies of political activists and suspected armed separatists were found in the province between 2011 and 2016, but the authorities say they were victims of infighting among insurgent group.
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