China is Supporting Iran and Pakistan Against Baloch Freedom Struggle: FBM

QUETTA: The Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) has issued a condemnation against the ongoing military aggression and occupation of Balochistan by Pakistan and Iran, saying that these two countries have been waging a decades-long campaign of violence against the Baloch people. 

In a statement released November 28, the FBM emphasised that the current military offensives in the region are part of a long-standing pattern of exploitation and suppression, which has been further exacerbated by the involvement of China in recent years.

According to the FBM spokesperson, the recent announcement by Pakistan’s Apex Committee – which approved comprehensive military aggressions in Balochistan – is an attempt to mislead the international community, particularly China, into believing that no such operation is currently taking place. The spokesperson stressed that this claim is a blatant lie, as military operations in Balochistan have been ongoing for over two decades, and Baloch civilians have long been victims of both Pakistani and Iranian aggression.

“The Baloch nation has been subjected to continuous military attacks, genocide, and human rights violations from the very first day of Iranian and Pakistani occupation. No rhetoric or false announcements can change the reality on the ground,” the spokesperson said. “The Baloch people have never been free from military aggression, and the occupation forces continue their brutal attempts to silence our struggle for freedom.”

The FBM further pointed out that in recent years, external powers like China have increasingly become involved in the region, driven by economic and geopolitical ambitions. According to the FBM, these external actors have allied with the Pakistani and Iranian governments to exploit Balochistan’s vast natural resources, while suppressing the Baloch people’s demand for independence. China, in particular, has strengthened its economic and political ties with Pakistan and Iran, as part of its broader ambitions to secure its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects, particularly the use of the strategic Gwadar port in Balochistan.

In the statement, the FBM said China was supporting the occupation of Balochistan by Pakistan and Iran, noting that the Chinese government’s attempts to increase its military presence in the region is a clear sign of its complicity in the oppression of the Baloch nation. The spokesperson referenced China’s recent pledge to send People’s Liberation Army (PLA) personnel to Balochistan to protect its nationals, which the FBM argues is an indication that China is actively involved in the occupation forces’ efforts to suppress Baloch resistance.

“China’s involvement is not limited to economic interests. It is also militarily supporting Pakistan and Iran to ensure that Baloch resistance is crushed and the exploitation of Baloch resources continues unabated,” the spokesperson said. “China’s support for the Iranian and Pakistani occupation forces further highlights how external powers are standing in the way of the Baloch people’s aspirations for independence.”

The FBM also emphasised the historical context of Iran and Pakistan’s cooperation against the Baloch people. The spokesperson reminded the international community that the collaboration between Iran and Pakistan dates back to the 1970s, during the reign of Shah Iran, when Iranian forces, under pressure from Pakistan’s Bhutto government, carried out bombings in Balochistan and provided military and financial aid to Pakistan in its attempts to quell Baloch resistance.

The spokesperson made it clear that any efforts to portray Iran and Pakistan as potential “friends” or “liberators” of the Baloch people are a dangerous mistake and an attempt to whitewash the brutal history of oppression.

“In the 1970s, under the Shah’s regime, Iran and Pakistan openly collaborated to suppress Baloch resistance. This cooperation has continued through the years, and today, both nations continue to violate Baloch rights with the assistance of external powers like China,” the spokesperson noted.

The statement also addressed the recent agressions carried out by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iranian-occupied Balochistan. 

On November 26, the IRGC confirmed that it had conducted military offensives in Balochistan, killed at least 26 Baloch and arrested over 50 others. These aggressions are just one of many examples of the ongoing repression faced by the Baloch people under Iranian occupation. The spokesperson also pointed to the executions of innocent Baloch activists, who have been sentenced to death based on fabricated charges related to their political beliefs.

“These actions by both Iran and Pakistan are clear signs of the escalating violence against the Baloch people. In the past few months alone, countless Baloch civilians have been killed or arrested for simply expressing their political beliefs,” the spokesperson said. “This pattern of violence is not new, but it is intensifying as both countries seek to eliminate Baloch resistance and consolidate their control over Balochistan.”

The FBM also expressed alarm over the resumption of joint military exercises between China and Pakistan, which were restarted after a five-year hiatus. The FBM interprets this as further evidence of China’s support for Pakistan’s military operations in Balochistan. “China is now standing shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan and Iran in the exploitation of Balochistan’s resources and the genocidal campaign against the Baloch people,” the spokesperson stated.

According to the FBM, China’s strategic interest in Gwadar port, a key part of its Belt and Road Initiative, is a driving force behind its involvement in Balochistan. The spokesperson argued that China’s pursuit of unimpeded access to global markets through the port requires the suppression of Baloch resistance, as the Baloch people continue to oppose foreign control over their land and resources.

“The Baloch resistance remains a significant obstacle to China’s plans for economic and military dominance in the region,” the spokesperson said. “Until the Baloch people are free, the occupation forces will continue to face resistance.”

In conclusion, the FBM reaffirmed its commitment to the struggle for Baloch independence, stating that despite the overwhelming odds and the growing support for the occupation forces, the Baloch people will not back down from their aspirations for freedom. 

“The Baloch people have always resisted oppression, and we will continue to fight for our independence, no matter the cost,” the spokesperson declared. “Our struggle will not end until we achieve the freedom we deserve.”

The FBM’s statement calls on the international community to recognise the ongoing genocide and military occupation in Balochistan and to support the Baloch people’s right to national liberation.