The FBM Marks Balochistan Independence Day with Seminar in the United Kingdom
LONDON: The UK branch of the Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) hosted a seminar on Monday to commemorate the Independence Day of Balochistan, bringing together activists and supporters from across the United Kingdom.
The event was attended by members of the Baloch diaspora, human rights advocates, and political activists who gathered to remember August 11, 1947 — the day East Part of Balochistan declared independence from British rule, days before the creation of Pakistan.
Speakers highlighted that this day represents not only a historical moment of freedom but also a renewed commitment to the ongoing struggle for Baloch national liberation.
They highlighted the role of British colonial authorities in fragmenting a once-united Balochistan and paving the way for its occupation by artificial states like Iran and Pakistan.
“This is not just a day of remembrance, but a call to renew our commitment to the liberation of Balochistan,” said Dr. Shahsawar Baloch, Vice President of the Free Balochistan Movement.
Expressing solidarity, Ishtiyako Poorkarim, Head of the Kurdistan Independence Movement, said: “As a member of the Kurdish nation, I understand the pain of the Baloch nation. The Kurds, too, are a stateless people. Our pain and struggle are common binding points that need our unity against occupying forces like Iran and Pakistan.”
Other speakers included Baloch Human Rights activist and poet Raaji Baloch, Abdulla Baloch of Balochistan Raaji Zrombesh (Baloch National Movement), Malaika Taj Baloch, daughter of the disappeared activist Taj Muhammad Sarparah and Nobat Marri Baloch, a senior member of FBM. Each underscored the importance of unity, resilience, and international awareness in their pursuit of justice and freedom.
The seminar opened with the singing of the Baloch national anthem and concluded with a united pledge by Baloch and Kurdish participants to continue their struggles against what they described as the illegal occupation of their homelands by Iran, Pakistan, and other regional powers.
Organisers said the event served as both a commemoration and a reaffirmation of transnational solidarity among stateless and oppressed nations seeking freedom and justice in the face of ongoing oppression.
