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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 favor 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.
Nawab 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 realize 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 destabilize
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.
Speech by: Balach Marri
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