13 November

By Aaliyah Shah

When I saw the people around me very carefully that 13 November is being remembered as the day of martyrs of Baloch freedom struggle. Many days later, today when I picked up the pen my heart forced me to write something about 13 November and share with you about the historical event of 13 November. I’m aware that you all know very well that’s why on 13 November has been chosen as the national remembrance Day or Baloch martyrs day.

How did November 13 become a historical day?

What happened on 13 November?

This was the day when tyranny and barbarism began, the British rulers came into Balochistan like dark clouds, today let’s have a glance at history.

In 1839, when the British Indian Army was preparing to take the deposed Afghan King Shah Shuja back to Afghanistan to regain the throne of Kabul, to pass safely through Shikarpur, Khangarh (now Jacobabad) and Bolan, the British army on its way to Afghanistan was attacked by the Baloch in Kachhi and Bolan causing casualties and damage.

The British rulers in India blamed Khan Kalat for this and attacked Meeri Kalat, the capital of the state of Kalat (Balochistan) thinking that Mir Mehrab Khan and his comrades would give in to their assault. Mir Mehrab Khan, however, had a different approach in mind and that was to resist the foreigners.

He and his comrades chose martyrdom over submitting to the enemy’s strength to prove that the numbers don’t matter but what matters is the will and determination of a nation to resist the illegal occupation of their motherland.

This historic event is a testament to the fact that the Baloch nation like any other nation in the world can lay down its life to save the motherland.

Till today Baloch nation is sacrificing their precious lives for their motherland. Whether it was the British rulers or the Punjabis and Persian invaders in Balochistan since 1928 and 1947, respectively.

On August 15, 1947, Khan Kalat declared complete independence of Balochistan and addressed the nation in the Balochi language. The flag of independent Balochistan was hoisted and saluted.

Subsequently, elections were held for the first time after the formation of two houses of the Baloch state, in which the Kalat State National Party won by a landslide victory. Due to British conspiracy and Pakistan’s evil nature, the independence of Balochistan was shot-lived.

 After the rejection of an initial offer that the Baloch state should join Pakistan on the basis of religion, the Pakistani troops entered Kalat on April 1, 1948, thus the Baloch state remained independent for only 225 days before Pakistan occupied it illegally and forcibly annexed it.

As soon as martial law was enacted in 1958, Khan of Kalat Mir Ahmad Yar Khan was arrested against whom Nawab Mir Noroz Khan Zarkzai of Jhalawan started an armed struggle. General Ayub Khan talked with Noroz Khan and pledged on the Holy Quran that he demands will be met if he comes down from the mountains and negotiates with the Pakistani rulers.  However, as soon as Noroz Khan agreed to negotiate and came down, he was arrested along with 200 of his comrades. The Pakistan state, military, did not honour its promise on Quran and prosecuted the aged Baloch Nawab in a military court.

His son Mir Batay Khan and nephews were sentenced to death and hanged in Hydarabad jail whereas Nawab Noroz Khan at the age of 80 was sentence to life imprisonment.  At the age of 80 Noroz Khan was sentenced to life imprisonment. The Nawab himself later died in prison.  

From that day till today, an unending series of cruel and painful deaths began in Balochistan, Pakistani forces barbarism continues unabated and they continuously target Baloch youth, elder and women.  Every day, every month, every year the genocide, massacre, and desecration of the Baloch nation are taking place. The Baloch nation under the occupation of Pakistan has been deprived of human rights and human dignity.

The purpose of picking the pen and writing this piece today was to pay my humble homage to all the martyrs of my nation.  I may not have words in praise of the sacrifices of martyrs. Rather, it would be more appropriate that the sacrifices of the youth of my nation are invaluable.

From 1839 to 2020, there are thousands of Meer Mehrab khan who devoted their lives, who chosen martyrdom over slavery of foreign invaders – be the British, Pakistanis, Persians, or even the invaders before them.

 Last word:  I conclude by paying tribute and salutations to all Baloch martyrs on the day dedicated to honoring them ’13 November’ as the day of martyrdom. Our motherland scented with the blood of our youth, that’s why the struggle is valuable to every Baloch and the struggle shall continue till victory.  

#13NovBalochMartyrsDay