The Settler’s Role in Colonial Oppression: A Baloch Perspective

By Shahdad Baloch

In the colonial structure imposed upon us, settlers have never been mere civilians. In my understanding, and by any honest definition, they represent the civilian wing of a military occupation: agents of coercion whose sole objective is the looting of Balochistan’s natural resources, while sustaining an oppressive state with hearts full of poison, hatred, and vengeance against the rightful owners of this sacred land. Cloaked in the deceitful banner of humanity, they serve as a shield for global economic interests, masking their sinister agenda behind the rhetoric of peace and development.

Contemporary history, distorted by its victors, falsely portrays these settlers as labourers, businessmen, and civil servants. In truth, they are instruments of military strategy, deployed directly from Pakistan’s military headquarters and imposed upon the Baloch nation. Their presence is not innocent — they conspire, manipulate, and operate with complete impunity, leaving the Baloch in a state of perpetual threat and despair. This world they’ve built — where hell parades itself as heaven — is governed by evil forces.

In times like these, what we need is divine justice — God, the Just, the Righteous, the Merciful, and yes, the Merciless. By “Merciless,” I speak to a truth I believe even God understands — because I witness the brutality and machinations of the settlers, who deny the reality of forcible annexation, checks, subjugation, torture, kill-and-dump massacres, and genocide — all of which are internationally recognised crimes. In my view, the international community is complicit, supporting Pakistan and its military generals, who enjoy impunity for their roles in the genocides of Bangladesh and Balochistan.

These settlers, backed by military might, fail to understand that the power dynamics in Balochistan have shifted. The Baloch guerrilla has awakened. Although the settler project has been exposed, they continue to execute psychological warfare and issue threats against the true heirs of the land. I believe the Baloch Liberation Army is considering a strategic policy in response — as Baloch veteran Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri once declared, “This is a hyena — it understands only the stick.”

The bitter truth, now visible to the world, is that international organisations calling for the release of Baloch prisoners are ignored by Pakistan. Instead, these demands are met with prolonged detentions and humiliation. This reality is a call to arms for Baloch freedom fighters — to resist those who celebrate false victories and gaze upon us with contempt, blind to the rising strength within the Baloch.

I stand firm in my belief: there can be no coexistence with settlers. The root of the Baloch freedom struggle lies in resisting Punjabi hegemony,  a project of colonial domination. On the other side stands the Baloch nation and its army — decisive, resolute, and ready. Its leadership can no longer delay, not while Baloch youth are being silenced and Baloch knowledge is systematically erased. And I believe this: no knowledge is complete unless it manifests through action. We have learned, through betrayal and bloodshed, to trust only our own shoulders. It is the Baloch Assembly alone that holds the right to determine Balochistan’s future, not Pakistan.

To show mercy to settlers would be cruelty to my own people. These settlers live in comfort, eat well, sleep peacefully, and conspire freely — all because they have been spared. But history has never been kind to the arrogant and evil-hearted. Once again, history is being rewritten to shield these plunderers, elevating institutions that masquerade as watchdogs while empowering collaborators with no loyalty to our land. This is a war between loyalty and betrayal, and these foreign faces cannot remain neutral in a moral crisis of this scale.

We must refine and diversify our pre-emptive strategy of resistance, because these settlers are engaged in psychological warfare aimed at breaking the will of the Baloch. Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri was right — settlers are an integral part of the state machinery. Unless these components are dismantled, Balochistan will never be safe. These settlers track our movements, set traps, and spill innocent blood — all while posturing as a superior, civilized class. But in reality, they are plunderers — mediocre minds living in luxury on land they have stolen.

Meanwhile, the Baloch mourn, grieve, and cry out to the world: “I was burning, while you came blaming me for the smell of ashes.” Just as Dostoevsky responded in a time of moral collapse, so must we.

And so I say, with reason and clarity: No. This class must not be allowed to live in peace in Balochistan — nor should their collaborators, whoever they may be. Obstacles do not exist to deter us, but to be overcome. These settlers, dreaming of empires in Punjab, must know: here too, on our blood-soaked soil, we will build the foundations of a free and sovereign Balochistan.

History shows that the Baloch have resisted every invading force. As veteran Nawab Marri clearly told the world, “Living life with the Punjabi is a disgrace.” Real historians, independent minds, and even silenced media can verify this — but today’s slaves have chosen to serve their enemy.

The Baloch leadership has already acknowledged that Punjab has enslaved the Baloch — and continues to do so. If settlers choose the path of brutality — violating our homes, dragging our women through the streets, and dishonoring our dignity — they must face the full wrath of a people who have suffered for too long. History remembers the thunderbolts of Baloch guerrillas that once drove these settlers to flee. Let that be a reminder: Balochistan is not theirs.

Our graveyards grow by the day, and settlers bear responsibility. They are complicit with the tyrants who thrive on dynastic patriotism built upon stolen soil. And if it hurts — so be it.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Baloch Warna News. The publication provides a platform for diverse perspectives.