Free Balochistan Movement Announces Social Media Campaign on August 11

LONDON: The Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) has announced plans for a social media campaign on August 11 to commemorate Balochistan’s Independence Day.

In a statement, the movement highlighted that on August 11, 1947, the British administration officially declared the independence of Balochistan. This event took place during the broader decolonisation of the subcontinent, where countries like India gained independence following the withdrawal of British colonial rule.

However, the British government subsequently partitioned the subcontinent, creating Pakistan to serve its interests. On March 27, 1948, the newly formed Pakistani state, with support from the British government, occupied Balochistan.

The spokesperson stated that the Baloch people have been resisting this occupation from the very beginning and have never accepted Pakistan’s forced annexation.

As a result, August 11 is commemorated annually by the Baloch as Independence Day, as the Baloch nation collectively views Pakistan’s control over Baloch land as a continuation of British imperial occupation. They believe that without British support, the fledgling Pakistani state would never have been able to occupy Balochistan.

The spokesperson also called upon all freedom-loving Baloch to participate in the online campaign on August 11 to emphasise to the world that Balochistan was an independent state before being forcefully occupied and annexed by Pakistan.

The campaign aims to remind the global community that Balochistan gained its independence from the British Empire before the creation of Pakistan.