National Remembrance Day: Rich tributes paid to Baloch Martyrs of freedom struggle

QUETTA/LONDON: Baloch nation in Balochistan and Baloch Diaspora communities have organised events to commemorate the National Remembrance Day of Baloch Martyrs in Balochistan and abroad on Friday 13 November.

Baloch pro-freedom political parties, student organisations and the Baloch Martyrs Committee have organised different events across Balochistan to pay respects to the fallen heroes of Baloch freedom movement.

On separate calls of the Baloch student organisation (Azad) and Baloch salvation Front a shutter-down strike was observed in Balochistan. The Banks, educational institutes, government buildings and public businesses were reportedly shut on Friday in most Baloch populated areas of Balochistan.

Meanwhile the Baloch Martyrs Committee organised candlelight vigils and references in many cities of Balochistan including Quetta, Kalat, Sibbi and Thump. They also held a remembrance vigil in Karachi. The participants of the Baloch Martyrs Day events held candles and released Sky lanterns in the air in honour of Baloch heroes of freedom struggle and other state victims.

The Baloch Diaspora communities also held events to pay respect to Baloch Martyrs and show their support and solidarity with the people of Balochistan.

In Boras, Sweden, a display of images of Baloch martyrs was organised in the Central Library for the entire day where several people visited the Baloch stall to express their solidarity with Baloch people and families of Baloch martyrs.

In South Korea the Baloch community held a protest demonstration to commemorate the martyrs day. The activists displayed pictures of victims of state terrorism, held placards inscribed with different slogans explaining Pakistani state atrocities in Balochistan.

In Dusseldorf city of Germany Baloch activists held a candlelight vigil outside main train station. They activist were carrying placards, pictures of martyrs and flags of Balochistan. They also distributes leaflets to passersby about the history of Baloch Martyrs Day and Pakistani state atrocities in Balochistan.

In London, United Kingdom, the Baloch Community London organised a meeting to pay tributes to Baloch martyrs of liberation struggle. The speakers at London event paid rich tributes to Baloch fallen heroes for their sacrifices and struggle.

The speakers at London event included Mr Mehrab Sarjov Baloch, Abdulla Baluch, Rahim Bandoi Baloch, Alp Gokturk from South Azerbaijan, Sardar Ali Lashari, Shabir Baloch and Dr Shahzavar Baloch.

Mehrab Sarjov said that the Baloch national liberation struggle was based on democratic and universal human values. “The Baloch could not have sustained the claim to national liberation without the sacrifices from many who volunteered to pay ultimate price for the country and fellow countrymen and women,” He added.

Mr Sarjov said that on 13 November is the day to “celebrate the achievement” of numerous known and unknown Baloch heroes who “performed heroic acts” on behalf of the Baloch nation.

Waja Abdulla Baluch also paid tributes to Baloch Martyrs and said that they laid down their lives for freedom of Balochistan and for a better future of next Baloch generations.

Rahim Baloch along with paying respects to Baloch martyrs has request Baloch political parties and leaders to leave aside their “politics difference” for the sake of Baloch martyrs and observe the National Remembrance Day collectively.

Alp Gokturk an activist from South Azerbaijan has attended the Baloch martyrs day event to express the support of people of South Azerbaijan to Baloch struggle for freedom.

He said it was the martyrs’ sacrifices that will help the struggle to succeed adding that, “Baloch people and all other occupied nations deserve freedom from the yoke of colonial states.”

Sardar Ali Lashari spoke about benefiting the available opportunities and intensify the struggle for freedom. He said both Persian and Pakistani forces were indiscriminately killing both youth under different pretexts. He said Baloch people under Pakistan’s occupation have more chances of being free from the slavery and occupation.

Shabir Baloch talked about China-Pakistan nexus against Baloch nation and he said that Baloch pro-freedom leaders and activists should devise policies to counter the growing Chinese expansion in Balochistan.

“If we failed to stop the evils design of China and Pakistan, then the Baloch will become like Red Indian and aborigines in their own homeland, Balochistan,” Shabir Baloch said.

Dr Shahzavar Baloch explained about the historical importance of 13 November and said that previously Baloch people used hold the Martyrs Day on 15 July because on that day Nawab Nauroz Khan’s sons and other Baloch freedom activists were executed by Pakistan in Hyderabad. He said 13 November, however, is the day when the British colonial forces attacked Kalat, the capital of Balochistan.

Mir Mehrab Khan along with many of his comrades despite being less in number fought bravely against British forces and died fighting instead of surrendering or compromising. They British later occupied and divided Balochistan into three part and from then onward Balochistan has continuously been under the occupation of British and later Persian and Punjabi fundamentalists states.

“Hence, with the mutual consent with other parties and friends abroad and in Balochistan, the Baloch nation decided 13 November to be the National Remembrance Day of Baloch Martyrs.”

He also urged the Baloch youth not to get confused by the state propagandas and focus on Baloch freedom struggle. He added, “The occupying state forces use different terminologies like the ‘middle class’ and ‘Sardars or elite’ to create hatred, confusion and deter the Baloch youth from their struggle for independence of Balochistan.”