A Call to Reorganise the National Struggle in Line with Contemporary Realities to Counter the Iran-Pakistan Nexus
LONDON: The spokesperson for the Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) in statement to media said that the occupation of Balochistan has been a reality for more than a century. A bitter dimension of this long-standing tragedy is that our homeland remains divided and subjugated by two occupying states — Iran and Pakistan. Both powers are not only determined to erase Baloch national identity and existence, but also actively support one another in pursuing this genocidal objective. The Free Balochistan Movement maintains that the sole and unambiguous objective of our struggle is the complete independence of the Baloch nation, and that this struggle must continue simultaneously and effectively against both occupiers.
Historical evidence shows that while Iran and Pakistan may have occasionally experienced political, diplomatic, or ideological rifts, they have always supported one another when it came to tightening their grip on occupied Balochistan and crushing the Baloch resistance. Even during the secular rule of the Shah of Iran, joint efforts with Pakistan inflicted grave harm on Baloch national interests and the independence movement. That collaboration not only persists but has now taken a more organised and coordinated form.
The statement further highlighted recent examples of this alliance, citing covert meetings between Iranian and Pakistani authorities in occupied Balochistan and beyond. On May 8, 2024, in Zahedan, Iranian Border Guards Commander General Qassem Rezai met with representatives of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps. While the meeting was publicly described as focusing on “border security and intelligence sharing,” its real purpose was the exchange of intelligence and strategies to jointly suppress the Baloch freedom movement.
In January 2025, another meeting was held near the border checkpoint in Taftan, involving military and administrative officials from both occupiers. This session focused on formalising a so-called “Border Management Mechanism.” At the same time, the creation of joint “border committees” was announced. In reality, their purpose is to crush Baloch resistance activities and restrict the movement of Baloch people on both sides of the border, effectively displacing them in their own homeland.
It is worth recalling that just 20 to 25 years ago, the concept of border management between Iranian and Pakistani-occupied Balochistan did not exist. The Baloch people moved freely across the artificial Goldsmith Line, and familial ties across both sides remain strong. In many families, one brother lives on one side of the line while another lives across it. This proves that while the Baloch are occupied, they are not divided. Pakistan and Iran only use the pretext of “border management” to weaken the Baloch national movement and consolidate their joint occupation. Evidence also shows that these meetings have led to a surge in arrests and cross-border handovers of Baloch activists. Many individuals who temporarily sought refuge on one side to escape persecution were arrested and handed back — making clear that the old methods of seeking safety are no longer viable.
The FBM spokesperson added that in the past, some resistance circles ignored ground realities and adopted short-sighted policies for temporary relief. Seeking refuge in the territory of one occupier to escape the other, and mistaking an enemy neighbour for a savoir, is political suicide.
The Free Balochistan Movement wishes to make it unequivocally clear to the Baloch people and all political and resistance groups that FBM considers the Baloch nation a single, united entity inhabiting one homeland — despite its division and subjugation under different powers. This principle is not only the foundation of our political policies but also a historical and geographical fact. Pakistan and Iran can never be allies or well-wishers of the Baloch. On the contrary, they seek to exploit every Baloch against the wider national interest, as Pakistan continues to do through proxy groups such as the National Party, Balochistan National Party, and figures like Sarfaraz Bugti and his likes. Ignoring the lethal Iran-Pakistan alliance is therefore nothing short of political blindness and intellectual negligence.
The FBM emphasised that stakeholders in the national liberation struggle must adopt strategies completely independent of both occupiers’ spheres of influence. Acting as a proxy or tool of either state will never serve the collective interests of the Baloch nation. It is, however, necessary to seek allies and supporters at the regional and international levels. Yet including Iran or Pakistan among those allies is like appointing a cat to guard milk — absurd and dangerous.
Sabotaging the national narrative for short-term or personal interests is not only foolish but criminal. The struggle for independence may last decades or even centuries. If an individual, mistakenly believing themselves to be the sole savoir of the nation, undermines the future course of our collective narrative, such betrayal would be worse than occupation itself.
Those who view occupied regions of Balochistan as separate are falling into the same intellectual decline as pro-Pakistan parliamentary figures like Sarfaraz Bugti, who once declared, “we will send the Iranians (referring to Baloch from Iranian-occupied Balochistan) back to Iran.” The very idea of dividing the Baloch nation between Iran and Pakistan is an invention of ISI and Iranian intelligence. Strengthening this propaganda for temporary gains can never serve the Baloch cause.
The occupying powers are not only cooperating militarily and administratively but also coordinating through their intelligence agencies to weaken the Baloch independence movement. The recent border meetings and agreements are part of this broader strategy. In response, the national resistance must restructure its strategies, networks, and alliances to ensure they are not reliant on either occupier. Both Iran and Pakistan are equally enemies of the Baloch people. In just the past few weeks, dozens of Baloch have been executed in Iranian-occupied Balochistan, while many others have been killed in staged encounters.
The FBM reiterates its rejection of any dual policy in this struggle. Our stance is clear and uncompromising: Baloch national freedom is impossible without complete liberation from both Iranian and Pakistani occupation. Therefore, the direction and scope of our struggle must remain equally focused on both occupiers. All parties in the freedom movement must recognise ground realities, avoid emotional or short-sighted decisions, and abandon the illusion that one occupier’s territory is safer than the other. Strategies must instead transcend the influence and collusion of both states, in defence of Baloch identity, survival, and eventual liberation.
This is a defining moment — a true test of our resolve. The occupiers are becoming more organised; so too must the Baloch resistance, adapting to the demands of a new era. Old methods are no longer sufficient. The only path to survival is unity, principled struggle, discipline, and complete independence, not only in our fight against the occupiers but also in how we shape our strategies.
It is also important to note the situation across the Durand Line, where the Baloch homeland remains divided. The Pakistani establishment has repeatedly attempted to pit Baloch and Pashtuns against one another. Yet the historical bonds between our nations remain strong. Both have been victims of British colonial divisions and conspiracies. The same Punjabis who once sold Afghan Pashtuns for a mere $500 now speak of friendship. Despite such hypocrisy, relations between Baloch and Pashtuns have largely remained defined by mutual trust, respect, and dignity.
The Free Balochistan Movement, tother with its members and the Baloch people, reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the complete independence of the Balochistan. We will not negotiate with any occupier, nor will we fall prey to temporary compromises. This struggle may be long, but its destination is clear: freedom — a freedom that will only be achieved through the complete end of both Iranian and Pakistani occupation.
