Iran-Pakistan Nexus and Baloch national interests

Translated by Tukali Baloch from Urdu to English for BalochWarna News readers

The strategically important land of Baloch people has always been the centre of attention of occupiers and aggressors. The British Empire army attacked Kalat state [Balochistan] on 13 November 1839 for its expansionist designs to strengthen its grip on Baloch land. They killed Mir Mehrab Khan the ruler of Balochistan, deposited his government and instilled their loyal Shahnawaz who had agreed to serve and protect British interests.

The British government divided the Baloch land into three pieces to break the power and unity and distorted the Baloch geography by drawing two arbitrary lines GOLDSMITH LINE (187I) due to which the Western part of Balochistan fell under the occupation of Persia and DURAND LINE (1895) which cut through Afghanistan and Northern part of Balochistan. The Afghan and Baloch still do not recognise the Durand Line as a legitimate border. The [Durand Line] conflict still remains unresolved.

The history is the witness that every occupying state tries to fulfil its expansionist aims by destroying and distorting geographical facts of the occupied nations and Pakistan and Iran applied exactly the same gunning policies against Baloch land (Balochistan). After the occupation and division of United Balochistan, Pakistan and Iran have further divided Balochistan into smaller units to weaken Baloch unity, for plundering Baloch national resources and to serve their military purposes.

The Iranian and Pakistani media, military and Para-military forces continue to mislead the masses and try to justify their illegal occupation. To some extent, Iran and Pakistan succeeded in their propaganda against Baloch people but the Baloch resistance against occupation has thwarted over all conspires of occupying states.

The British colonialist protected its interests in Asian countries and to fulfil their expansion by supporting artificial and undemocratic countries like Pakistan and Iran.

Since World War II it was impossible to directly colonise nations so the task of exploitation and colonisation of was given to terrorist and religious fundamentalist states like Pakistan and Iran which continues in different regions of the world including Asia.

But, there is no match of Pakistani and Iranian’s crimes against humanity in Balochistan anywhere else in the world. The media of these two occupying states as well as the civil society are acting a mouthpiece of the states and have turned a blind eye to Baloch genocide.

Baloch youth are being killed by Iranian Al-Quds force and other security forces regularly but the Iranian media deliberately ignore such crimes. The media sources are facing state crackdown for reporting Balochistan issue.  Similarly, in Pakistan occupied Balochistan Baloch mothers and sister have started a token hunger strike for an indefinite period for the recovery of their loved ones abducted by Pakistani forces. They have been on strike for several months in the freezing cold of Quetta but the Pakistani state representative does not even bother to hear their plea. The enforced-disappearances continue unabated.

The subjugated Baloch nation is facing national bans under Iranian and Pakistani occupation. According to UN charter, it is the responsibility of a state to help preserve and provide education in the mother tongue of a nation. However, instead of promoting Balochi language Pakistani and Iranian forces have abducted, tortured and killed educators of Balochi language. The occupying states [Pakistan and Iran] consider Balochi language a danger to their existence.

The states’ forces killed educationists and promoters of Balochi language including like Professor Saba Dshtayary, Sir Zahid Askani, Ali Sher Kurd and Yaqoob Mehrnahad. In educational institutions, other languages are dominant over Balochi language. This is a form of linguistic oppression because Baloch people have their own distinctive language, traditions, and culture which a complete opposite of the language and culture of other nations i.e. Persian and Punjabis.

On social media, there are heart-wrenching news about occupied Balochistan on a daily basis which exposes the state’s barbarism and brutalities against Baloch people but the UN and other Human Rights Organisations have kept silent on such inhuman crimes.

Area wise Western part of occupied Balochistan is the second largest province in the control of Iran but it lacks all the basic facilities of life. The Western part of occupied Balochistan rich with natural resources including gold, silver, a deep sea port and other resources but people in western part of occupied Balochistan face hardships and life-threatening risk for a loaf of bread.  The youth who are considered the backbone of any society, unfortunately, in Balochistan the youth take risks and many have even died for trading fuel. The Baloch youth even bribe Pakistani and Iranian official for trading the fuel that is extracted from their own country – Balochistan.

The Iranian and Pakistani brutality are not hidden from anyone but what are our (Baloch nations) responsibilities at this critical juncture of our struggle?

It is 21 century and the world is changing rapidly, technology is progressing quickly, socialism taking its last breaths and the followers of socialism fast becoming attracted to imperialism. However, it is our bad luck and lack of awareness that remains of socialism can still be seen in some of our political circles. Most countries are adopting speedy change for their national interests but some of us (Baloch) are still clinging to socialism. The fact of the matter is that even true followers of socialism consider is a blessing to get rid of socialism.

In these situations how much have we succeeded as a nation to convince and gain the trust of the world that Baloch national interests and are the same the interests of other secular nations around the world. So, the international community should support the independence of Balochistan for sake of world peace. It is fortunate for Baloch that world knows and rapidly becoming aware of our occupiers’ [Pakistan and Iran] evil designs.  The world does not trust on these fundamentalists and monster states any more. These failed states, however, are searching for new allies to support their crumbling economy. Pakistan and Iran are trying to take advantage of China’s growing economic influence and built relations with it.

However, Iran-Pakistan-China nexus is not in the interest of India, America other European and Gulf nations. This nexus is also not acceptable to the Baloch nation which aligns the Baloch interests with the rest of the world. So, in these conditions Baloch nation need to take serious decisions on the ground and on the international level. Senior political Analysts also believe this time Asia is going to be the centre of International politics and Balochistan is the ground zero, where international powers want to get involved. That’s why Baloch people as a nation must prioritise their national interests and convince the world community that their interests coincide with an independent Baloch state, apart from a free Balochistan nobody can achieve their interest in this region.