A brief history of Pakistani oppression against Baloch people
by Caroline Kend on Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 10:23pm
The People of Balochistan struggle for right of self-determination has its genesis in history and culture. Strongly believer of independent, the people of Balochistan have never accepted hegemony and domination of Pakistani establishment in any stage in 55 years history of Pakistan.
We Baloch never accepted alien domination of Punjabi supremacy. We have been engaged in a constant struggle for self governance since last 55 years which resulted in sever military operation by Pakistani Army in Balochistan and forced migration and displacement of thousands of Baloch’s to Afghanistan and other parts of the world.
Let me tell you the brief history of Pakistani oppression against Baloch people and our struggle against the tyrants.
This history begins when Balochistan was forcefully annexed to Pakistan though at that time Balochistan had its own Parliamentary system. It had its own House of Commons and House of Lords. Both the houses unanimously voted not to join Pakistan.
When Pakistan government couldn’t get the approval from the Baloch people’s representatives, they made an example in history by passing a resolution from Quetta Municipality majority (elected by settlers) to vote in favour of Balochistan’s annexation to Pakistan.
Physically it was not possible for Pakistan government to announce the annexation of Balochistan and make Balochistan a part of Pakistan just by the approval of Quetta Municipality. Another move Pakistan made was to break Kalat State in to four parts.
To exercise this plane Pakistan government deployed its naval forces on the coastline of Makaran (which was a part of Kalat State) and declared it as separate state, by appointing Nawab Bhai Khan as ruler of Makaran State, for declaring exaction to Pakistan. After the successful annexation of Makaran, Pakistan Government forced two other parts of Kalat, (Kharan and Lasbela) to join Pakistan as separate states. Ultimately Pakistan Army was sent to Kalat to suppress and kill those who opposed annexation of Balochistan to Pakistan.
In 1956 Governor General Sakinder Mirza dissolved all the states of Balochistan and declared them the part of West Pakistan as one unit.West Pakistan Assembly passed the resolution Against One Unit.
In 1958 President of Pakistan Sikandar Mirza, encouraged Khan of Kalat to demand restoration of Kalat State. When Khan of Kalat did it Sikandar Mirza declared Khan as traitor of Pakistan. On 8th of October 1958 Sikandar Mirza sent Pakistan troops to arrest Khan of Kalat with rest of family, suppressed the supporter and declared martial law in the hole of the country and Khan of Kalat was sent to Jail in Punjab. People started defying the Government for not implementing the anti one unit resolution and restoring back the status quo.
On 18th of December 1958 Army operation started in Jhalawan in Balochistan, many political activist and civilians were murdered by army. The operation continued for more then 2 years.
Nouroz Khan with his sons and comrades took to hills and were fighting against the army. He was ultimately tricked under oath of Quran for the demands being excepted and made to lay down his arms. But when he descended from mountains he along with all his comrades were arrested and thrown into the notorious army operated torture camp called Kooli Camp. The atrocities and inhuman treatment was matted out to the inmates of that camp for 2 years.
Many of the inmates were tried in the military courts and sent to the gallows or transportation for life.
In 1962, general elections were held under Ayubs new constitution. In Balochistan there were only two national assembly seats, which were won by Nawab Khair Baksh Marri and Sardar Attaullah Mengal.
In the first session of the national assembly Sardar Attaullah Mengal in his speech belied Ayub Khans claim that the Marshal law was blood less which he was boosting upon he also gave details of the inhuman treatment matted out during the martial law to the people of Balochistan. Nawab Khair Baksh Marri in his speech, during that session rubbed more salt on Ayub Khans wounds.
This was enough for a military dictators bull as a red rag and the result was immediately after the session government started arresting political workers and throwing them behind bars. Among them were Sardar Attaullah Mengal, Mir Ghus Bux Bizanjo and Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti. In November 1962 Mr Mengal was released on bail by the high court when the assembly was in session he went and made another speech against the undemocratic attitude of the Government and was reasserted and sent to jail.
Because of the high handedness of the government people of Balochistan reacted sharply, to which Government sent the army into the interior of Balochistan to teach the people of Balochistan a lesson. Thus another army operation took place which included Ariel bombardment as well. Innumerable people including women and children were killed and hundreds were arrested and thrown behind the bars some of whom died in jail. The Government having failed to suppress the uprising of the people ultimately released all those in jail unilaterally in 1967.
Ayub Khan was removed from power and Yahya Khan took over Yahya Khan dissolve one unit and restored the provinces including Balochistan, he held elections in 1970 where NAP National Awami Party returned in majority in the Balochistan assembly and single majority party in NWFP.
By that time the blood thirsty Generals gave a bloody parting kick to east Pakistan and remaining minority of west Pakistan was declared as Pakistan with Bhutto in power. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was unveiling to hand over power to the elected representatives of NAP in Balochistan and NWFP.He did realise the sensitiveness of the satiation and the army being busy on the Indian border, was left with no other alternative but to hand over the power to NAP in both the provinces.
The federal Government started hatching conspiracies against the provincial governments in order to destabilise them. And when the army was relived from the Indian borders Mr Bhutto didn’t wait long and ordered the army to move in to the interior of Balochistan and then dismissed the Governments both in NWFP and Balochistan. All the leaders political workers were put behind bars against whom the charge was framed after 3 years, ban was put on NAP.
People were butchered to the extent that Children were killed and their bodies were not allowed to be buried and hungry dogs were left to feast on them. This was done by the same patriotic army who refused to learn any lesson from East Pakistan departure. Alive people were thrown down from choppers on their villages to set example as a mark of love for the people of Balochistan. Thousands of people were killed in those army operations, which continued for 5 years.
Thousands were rendered homeless with their livestock taken away by the starving army Jawans as booty. Thousands other were forced to flee to Afghanistan which they had to stay more then a decade in destitute. And when they returned home they were starving not with a penny left in their pockets and most of them were suffering from tuberculoses because of under nourishment.
Not one person among those who returned was rehabilitated by the Government of Pakistan, on the contrary they are being hunted upon even to this day by the Government of Pakistan who so ever was in power. 14.8.02 Speech by: Balach Marri
Balochistan 