Historically, Balochistan has been an independent, sovereign and a free state for nearly three hundred years. It was also a paradise for invaders coming from outside like Asia, Persia and Arabia. All of them invaded Balochistan because of it being so resourceful. But every invader who tried to capture had to face outrageous battles by Balochistan’s brave and confident inhabitants protecting their nation from foreign powers.
One such striking example is that of Mir Mehrab Khan who sacrificed his life along with 250 rebels against the military movement launched by British on 13 November 1839. Another similar instance can be traced where Mir Naseer Khan didn’t let his quenching desire of independent Balochistan to succumb against another skirmish by Ahmed Shah Durrani during his exemplary reign among Khans of Kalat.
Generally speaking, the Khanate of Kalat was recognized as an independent and sovereign state through a treaty known as Treaty of Kalat that took place after the battle between Mir Naseer Khan and Ahmed Shah Durrani in 1758. However, in the meantime the point should be noted that after its occupation by the British in 1839, Balochistan was once again recognized by the colonizer Britishers as sovereign and independent nation through treaties in 1854 and 1876 separately.
More importantly, before the lapse of British rule in Indian subcontinent, Balochistan was accepted as an independent country on 4 August 1947 both by British and Pakistan through a Standstill Agreement. But unfortunately the agreement was breached by Pakistan and it’s leaders especially Muhammad Ali Jinnah famous among Baloch by the name of Qadoo Ahjaam.
Moreover, since Balochistan’s forced accession to Pakistan, it has been exploited for a long time. Balochistan is openly considered the hub of natural resources not only in Pakistan but in the world. It will not be wrong to say that Pakistan only needs it’s resources, not it’s people.
Balochistan has numerous natural resources including marble, limestone, gas, petrol, gold and many more. Despite being so wealthy, its difficult for it’s people to earn food even twice a day. Even children are compelled to contribute in their expenditures. As a result of this, child labor is increasing while the rate of children attending school is decreasing.
Exploitation is increasingly crossing every limit in terms of employment, education, safe drinking water, good health centers, technological facilities, infrastructure, etc. The province shows a heart breaking picture in all fields. Poverty and corruption on the one hand while insecurity and bad governance along with insecure situation of law and order on the other hand have serious repercussions.
Due to corruption, poverty among the masses has reached skyrocketing heights. The ruling party is not elected rather ‘selected’ that is protecting the interests of their lords instead of their masses. They are appointed by the establishment as their representatives. They are all used by the establishment as their instruments in crushing the Baloch demands for constituent rights. The brutalities committed by the state occupied forces do not know the name of dawn.
Every village in Balochistan witnesses grave brutalities by the so called Army of Pakistan. Kill and dump policy against people resisting the occupied forces still continues with a large number of operations. However, operations have intensified with an attack on the Pakistan Army by guerilla fighters. The Pak Army is armed with gunship helicopters and F-16 throwing napalm bombs.
The word military operation is not new to the Baloch as they are under siege since their forced accession to Pakistan. One such deadly operational footstep can be traced to the district of Awaran at occupied Balochistan where bombardment by 12 helicopters on 20 December 2020 on a religious place took away the lives of 10 innocent people. Their killing was however declared by the Pakistan Army capturing a camp of Guerilla fighters which is their old habit.
It is surprising that the government of Balochsitan even after knowing the real picture cannot dare to curb such operations where civilians are targeted. Balochistan’s holy land is witness to daily military operations on the one hand while helicopters, drones and jet fighters hovering all the time on Baloch skies.
In such grievous condition, Balochistan asks civilized world its moral support just to silence the occupied forces from crossing international war rules. Violation of basic human rights in Balochistan should be stopped. However, this is possible only when the world changes its mind against Pakistan. World should not overlook Baloch’s abuse by Pakistani military on a daily basis just because of their political interests. At present the world’s political interests are surely linked with Pakistan, yet the world must think about Balochistan’s geographical location and the future tie ups with Balochistan once our country attains freedom.