By Jamal Nasir Baloch
This world is familiar with Afghanistan, Iraq or Vietnam but whenever I ask my socialist friends about Balochistan, they just reply in one word “where is it?” Balochistan has always been an attraction for the Imperialist and Capitalist powers because of her geo-political importance. Baloch always defeated the outsiders. On 13 November 1839 the British imperialist forces attacked the palace of Balochistan’s ruler, Mehrab Khan Baloch, the then ruler of the Baloch state and his companions resisted the wanton attack of British forces till the last drop of blood. Mehrab Khan including his several friends embraced martyrdom.
After the British succeeded in eliminating, Mehrab Khan, they divided Balochistan in three parts by drawing two arbitrary lines on Baloch soil. In 1873 British imperialism signed an agreement, excluding the Baloch, with the Persians and gave the western part of Balochistan to Persia (modern day Iran). Twenty years later in 1893 British drew another artificial line called the “Durand Line” giving a big chunk of Northern Balochistan to Afghanistan, which is the modern political boundary between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
World War II made it difficult for the Britain to stay as colonizer in Asia as they could read their defeat on the wall and decided to leave. Balochistan was given the options to join India, upcoming Pakistan, which was to be severed from united India or remain independent. Balochistan opted for independence and the all the three parties (India, British and upcoming Pakistani administration) agreed to Balochistan’s freedom and signed a tripartite agreement recognizing Balochistan as a sovereign state.
On 11 August 1947 the ruler of Balochistan officially announced Independence – each year Baloch remember 11 August as the day of their independence and renew their resolve to continue the struggle until victory. However after 227 days (in 1948) Pakistan attacked Balochistan; occupied it at gunpoint and coerced the ruler of Balochistan to sign a merger treaty. The Baloch nation has never accepted the illegal occupation of their country by Pakistan and started resisting against the occupying forces.
The first war of liberation begun only after 49 days of occupation on May 16, 1948 Prince Abdul Karim (the younger brother of the ruler of Balochistan) and his comrades started guerrilla type ambushes against Pakistani forces. Unfortunately, he was tricked and captured by Pakistan with the collaboration of some Baluch traitors – some of those national criminals were from his own family.
Nawab Nauroz Khan led the second rebellion against occupying forces. Like Prince Abdul Karim he too was deceived in the name of Holy Quran and arrested. Pakistan again used some greedy Baluch notables (informants of the state) to trick Nauroz Khan. The Nawab’s sons and companions were condemned to death by hanging whereas the Babo Nauroz himself was spared due to his old age. He was given life imprisonment and later died in a Pakistan prison.
The liberation struggle did not end with the death of Agha Abdul Karim and Nauroz Khan but their followers and ideological comrades are still fighting against occupiers and pursuing their mission of a free and united Balochistan. Pakistan tried its best to completely crush the Baloch liberation struggle; in 70s it even sought the help of Iran to help her finish off the Baloch freedom movement but with no success. The Baloch peoples’ struggle for liberation is still continuing with full determination and more vigorously. This time the struggle has engulfed entire Balochistan – people from all spheres of life (men, women, youth and elderly) are participating in the liberation struggle according to their capability.
“The Pakistani security services are brazenly kidnapping, torturing and often killing people because of suspected ties to Baloch nationalist movement” HRW(Human Rights Watch) clearly explained the current Pakistani state’s oppression on Baloch nation. HRCP (Human rights commission of Pakistan), AHRC (Asian Human rights Commission), Amnesty International and HRW in their detailed and extensive reports have revealed that Pakistani intelligence agencies and Para Military forces i.e. Frontier Corps are involved in the kill and dump policy of Baloch political activists.
The F-16, Cobra-Helicopter and other US military equipment have been used by the Pakistani state against the democratic movement of the Baloch nation. After the killing of Osama Bin Laden on May 2nd, 2011 tensions accelerated between Pakistan and the US. Pakistan deported some British trainers on 26th June 2011 which was revealed by some newspapers as “Military advisers – all experienced officers or senior NCOs, had been stationed at a new British-built base for Pakistan’s Frontier Corps near Quetta, Balochistan”.
The same news report further read that “The UK has been asked to withdraw some of its training support teams on a temporary basis by the Pakistan Government in response to security concerns.”
The British Government on one hand make big claims of liberalism and democratic intents, on the other hand they are involved in the training of those Pakistani forces that are directly engaging in the genocide of Baloch Nation.
The Pakistani ruling elites have always had the implicit backing of the British and American elites. However, one things is clear Pakistan and the imperialists have a symbiotic relationship. They are both dependent on each other to maintain oppressive regimes. Balochistan was a victim of British Imperialism from 1839 till 1947 but now she is the victim of the imperial desires of the United States and Britain, regimes which support and finance the bloodthirsty rulers of Pakistan.
This world is familiar with Afghanistan, Iraq or Vietnam but whenever I ask my socialist friends about Balochistan, they just reply in one word “where is it?” Balochistan has always been an attraction for the Imperialist and Capitalist powers because of her geo-political importance. Baloch always defeated the outsiders. On 13 November 1839 the British imperialist forces attacked the palace of Balochistan’s ruler, Mehrab Khan Baloch, the then ruler of the Baloch state and his companions resisted the wanton attack of British forces till the last drop of blood. Mehrab Khan including his several friends embraced martyrdom.
After the British succeeded in eliminating, Mehrab Khan, they divided Balochistan in three parts by drawing two arbitrary lines on Baloch soil. In 1873 British imperialism signed an agreement, excluding the Baloch, with the Persians and gave the western part of Balochistan to Persia (modern day Iran). Twenty years later in 1893 British drew another artificial line called the “Durand Line” giving a big chunk of Northern Balochistan to Afghanistan, which is the modern political boundary between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
World War II made it difficult for the Britain to stay as colonizer in Asia as they could read their defeat on the wall and decided to leave. Balochistan was given the options to join India, upcoming Pakistan, which was to be severed from united India or remain independent. Balochistan opted for independence and the all the three parties (India, British and upcoming Pakistani administration) agreed to Balochistan’s freedom and signed a tripartite agreement recognizing Balochistan as a sovereign state.
On 11 August 1947 the ruler of Balochistan officially announced Independence – each year Baloch remember 11 August as the day of their independence and renew their resolve to continue the struggle until victory. However after 227 days (in 1948) Pakistan attacked Balochistan; occupied it at gunpoint and coerced the ruler of Balochistan to sign a merger treaty. The Baloch nation has never accepted the illegal occupation of their country by Pakistan and started resisting against the occupying forces.
The first war of liberation begun only after 49 days of occupation on May 16, 1948 Prince Abdul Karim (the younger brother of the ruler of Balochistan) and his comrades started guerrilla type ambushes against Pakistani forces. Unfortunately, he was tricked and captured by Pakistan with the collaboration of some Baluch traitors – some of those national criminals were from his own family.
Nawab Nauroz Khan led the second rebellion against occupying forces. Like Prince Abdul Karim he too was deceived in the name of Holy Quran and arrested. Pakistan again used some greedy Baluch notables (informants of the state) to trick Nauroz Khan. The Nawab’s sons and companions were condemned to death by hanging whereas the Babo Nauroz himself was spared due to his old age. He was given life imprisonment and later died in a Pakistan prison.
The liberation struggle did not end with the death of Agha Abdul Karim and Nauroz Khan but their followers and ideological comrades are still fighting against occupiers and pursuing their mission of a free and united Balochistan. Pakistan tried its best to completely crush the Baloch liberation struggle; in 70s it even sought the help of Iran to help her finish off the Baloch freedom movement but with no success. The Baloch peoples’ struggle for liberation is still continuing with full determination and more vigorously. This time the struggle has engulfed entire Balochistan – people from all spheres of life (men, women, youth and elderly) are participating in the liberation struggle according to their capability.
“The Pakistani security services are brazenly kidnapping, torturing and often killing people because of suspected ties to Baloch nationalist movement” HRW(Human Rights Watch) clearly explained the current Pakistani state’s oppression on Baloch nation. HRCP (Human rights commission of Pakistan), AHRC (Asian Human rights Commission), Amnesty International and HRW in their detailed and extensive reports have revealed that Pakistani intelligence agencies and Para Military forces i.e. Frontier Corps are involved in the kill and dump policy of Baloch political activists.
The F-16, Cobra-Helicopter and other US military equipment have been used by the Pakistani state against the democratic movement of the Baloch nation. After the killing of Osama Bin Laden on May 2nd, 2011 tensions accelerated between Pakistan and the US. Pakistan deported some British trainers on 26th June 2011 which was revealed by some newspapers as “Military advisers – all experienced officers or senior NCOs, had been stationed at a new British-built base for Pakistan’s Frontier Corps near Quetta, Balochistan”.
The same news report further read that “The UK has been asked to withdraw some of its training support teams on a temporary basis by the Pakistan Government in response to security concerns.”
The British Government on one hand make big claims of liberalism and democratic intents, on the other hand they are involved in the training of those Pakistani forces that are directly engaging in the genocide of Baloch Nation.
The Pakistani ruling elites have always had the implicit backing of the British and American elites. However, one things is clear Pakistan and the imperialists have a symbiotic relationship. They are both dependent on each other to maintain oppressive regimes. Balochistan was a victim of British Imperialism from 1839 till 1947 but now she is the victim of the imperial desires of the United States and Britain, regimes which support and finance the bloodthirsty rulers of Pakistan.
Posted on November 16, 2011
by The Activists Publication
