Eastern Occupied (Pakistani) Balochistan
Before the Partition of India and creation of Pakistan in 1947, Balochistan was a free
sovereign independent state with it own parliament, the Dar-ul Awaam (the House of
Commons) and Dar-ul Umraa (House of Lords). Soon after the creation of Pakistan, it
invaded Balochistan and forcefully annexed it into Pakistan. Balochistan, rich in oil and
Gas with a 900 miles of warm water strategically located costline was very important for
the survival Pakistan.The Baloch people didn’t have a strong big army compare to
Pakistani army, but still they resisted the Pakistani Occupation of their Baloch land.
Thousands Baloch took up arms to defend their land from the occupiers. Many thousands
Baloch got killed and many hundreds were arrested and later executed by Pakistani
Military. A half million Baloch took refuge in Neighboring countries, like Afghanistan,
Tajikistan, and India.
Before the Partition of India and creation of Pakistan in 1947, Balochistan was a free
sovereign independent state with it own parliament, the Dar-ul Awaam (the House of
Commons) and Dar-ul Umraa (House of Lords). Soon after the creation of Pakistan, it
invaded Balochistan and forcefully annexed it into Pakistan. Balochistan, rich in oil and
Gas with a 900 miles of warm water strategically located costline was very important for
the survival Pakistan.The Baloch people didn’t have a strong big army compare to
Pakistani army, but still they resisted the Pakistani Occupation of their Baloch land.
Thousands Baloch took up arms to defend their land from the occupiers. Many thousands
Baloch got killed and many hundreds were arrested and later executed by Pakistani
Military. A half million Baloch took refuge in Neighboring countries, like Afghanistan,
Tajikistan, and India.
While the Genocide of Baloch Nation continued by Pakistani military, the world watched as silent spectator and didn’t do anything about it to stop it. It
took 10 years before the Pakistani military crushed the Baloch insurgency and took control of most of the cities of Balochistan. Baloch though lost the
battle, but the struggle for freedom continued.In 1968, another arm struggle was organized by Nawab Nowroz Khan Zarakzi, to liberate Baloch land
(Balochistan) from Pakistan. He was later arrested by Pakistani military, when he came for negotiation with army. He and his sons and nephews and
his 70 freedom fighter followers were taken to Hyderabad Jail, where all of them were hanged (executed), but him, for anti-State (anti-Pakistan)
charges. He was held in the prison due to his old age, where he later passed away at the age of 92. The Baloch struggle for freedom continued.
In 1970-1977 Baloch took up arm again to fight the occupier Pakistani army to liberate their land. This time Baloch were better prepared and they
inflected heavy casualties to Pakistan’s military, but due to the lack of international support, Baloch lost the battle again and the insurgency was
crushed by well armed Pakistani army, using tanks, and gunship helicopters. The insurgency lasted for 5 years and about 18 thousand Baloch were
killed by Pakistani military, while the death toll of Pakistani army personnel was about 12thousand.
From 1977-2008, Pakistan continues its crime against Baloch people. Thousand Baloch political activists and students have been arrested since then
and are being tortured in secret jails. Many hundreds are missing, Pakistani military, paramilitary and security forces are given tasks to arrest, kidnap
or kill any Baloch who talks or think about freedom. More than 600 military check post have been established all over Balochistan to control the activities
and movements of Baloch people. There are 80 thousand troops stationed in Balochistan and more troops are on the way. Balochistan have been
turned into a military occupied war zone. Baloch people are living in fear and in hopelessness. They are desperately looking at the world community
and the freedom loving people for their help and rescue against the tyranny of Pakistani and Iranian regimes. They are saying, "Enough is enough".
Western Occupied (Iranian) Balochistan.
In 19th century the British and Persian Empires divided Balochistan in to Eastern "British Balochistan" and western "Iranian Balochistan" as part of their
colonial policy of "divide and rule", to weaken the Baloch unity as one Nation. The Baloch in Western Balochistan have been in constant revolt against
the domination by and chauvinistic policy of Iranian governments. The revolt of Jask (1873), of Sarhad (1888) and the general uprising in 1889 resulted
in a scorched earth policy by Iranian forces in 1889, aimed at suppressing the Baloch rebellion. A major uprising under Baloch chieftain Sardar
Hussein Narui in 1896 prompted a joint Anglo-Persian expeditionary force to crush the resistance. The resistance was crushed after two years and
Chief Narui was arrested. In the beginning of the twentieth century, Bahram Khan gained control of almost the entire central and southern region of
Western Balochistan, ending the occupation by Iranian forces. In 1916, the British recognized him as the effective ruler of Western Balochistan. His
nephew, Mir Dost Mohamed succeeded Mir Bahram Khan. Mir Dost Mohamed’s attempts to consolidate his power coincided with the rise to power in
Persia of Reza Khan in 1921. In 1928 the Iranian forces began an operation against Mir Dost Mohamed.
Skirmishes continued for seven months and ended in the victory of Iranian forces over the Baloch and the eventual surrender of Mir Dost Mohamed.
Thus Western Balochistan was finally annexed by the Persian Empire. Until the Shah’s overthrow in January 1979, the Baloch Nationalist Movement in
Iran was a relatively insignificant force compared to the movement in Pakistani Balochistan. Due to suppression, the harsh methods that were used by
Iranian security forces and persecution by SAVAC (the Iranian secret police under the Shah), its leaders were forced to emigrate and operate
underground from foreign countries. They had little ongoing contact with their widely scattered supporters inside Iran. The handful of Baloch activists,
who braved the Shah’s repression, kept alive the spirit of resistance to Persian domination and thus directly set the stage for the resurgence of
nationalist activity that took place after the overthrow of the Shah. After the Shah’s overthrow a new political force emerged in Balochistan, alongside
traditional leaders comprising mostly of the educated young Baloch people.
Treatment of Baloch in Western (Iranian) occupied Balochistan.
Baloch people in Iran are treated as third class citizens, and are deprived of their cultural, social and
economic rights. They are rapidly losing their identity. The previously Baloch-dominated regions of Bandar Abbas, part of Kerman, Seistan and Zabol
are the most affected areas of the assimilation efforts by the Persian state. Now in all these areas the Baloch are a minority, even the capital city of
Zahidan does not look like a Baloch city. The Baloch in Iran are completely excluded from the structures of political, social and economic powers of the
country. The dissemination of Balochi culture and language is a declared act of treason against the state and is dealt with through brutal measures.
Many army garrisons are permanently stationed in Baloch areas. For most of the fifty years of Pahlavi rule, Tehran had to depend primarily on the use of
overt military force to keep the Baloch areas under control, even when there was little co-ordinated insurgent activity. Politically and economically the
Baloch are kept weak, disunited, and backward as much as Possible. This policy was implemented in practice so that in the last years of the Shah’s
regime Balochistan was the poorest province "with an estimated annual per capita income of $975, less than half of the $22000 national average for
rural areas and less than one-fifth of the overall national average." Balochistan is still the poorest province in Iran, followed by Kurdistan. The demise of
the Palavi dynasty and establishment of the Islamic Republic have not brought about any positive changes to the situation of the Baloch people, but
rather have worsened the oppression.
The use of the Balochi language is forbidden in public places and Baloch children are deprived of using their mother tongue as the medium of
instruction at school. The Iranian government does not allow any kind of freedom of press in Balochistan. Successive Iranian governments have been
engaged in demographic manipulations to systematically reduce the Baloch people to a minority in their own homeland. Government policy has been
based on giving easy access to non-Baloch to purchase land at a cheap price. The policy of keeping the Baloch backward has resulted in the lack of
job opportunities and impoverishment of the entire population. The policy of Iranian governments in dealing with different sectors of Baloch society is
based on "divide and rule". The politics of the Iranian Government in Balochistan is characterized by human rights violations and abuse. It has distorted
political, economical and cultural development of Balochistan and insulted the human dignity of Baloch people. Religion is manifestly being used as a
mean to assimilate Baloch nationality into Persian national identity. These basic realities have reinforced the Baloch’s general feeling of frustration and
determination of having their own independent State.
took 10 years before the Pakistani military crushed the Baloch insurgency and took control of most of the cities of Balochistan. Baloch though lost the
battle, but the struggle for freedom continued.In 1968, another arm struggle was organized by Nawab Nowroz Khan Zarakzi, to liberate Baloch land
(Balochistan) from Pakistan. He was later arrested by Pakistani military, when he came for negotiation with army. He and his sons and nephews and
his 70 freedom fighter followers were taken to Hyderabad Jail, where all of them were hanged (executed), but him, for anti-State (anti-Pakistan)
charges. He was held in the prison due to his old age, where he later passed away at the age of 92. The Baloch struggle for freedom continued.
In 1970-1977 Baloch took up arm again to fight the occupier Pakistani army to liberate their land. This time Baloch were better prepared and they
inflected heavy casualties to Pakistan’s military, but due to the lack of international support, Baloch lost the battle again and the insurgency was
crushed by well armed Pakistani army, using tanks, and gunship helicopters. The insurgency lasted for 5 years and about 18 thousand Baloch were
killed by Pakistani military, while the death toll of Pakistani army personnel was about 12thousand.
From 1977-2008, Pakistan continues its crime against Baloch people. Thousand Baloch political activists and students have been arrested since then
and are being tortured in secret jails. Many hundreds are missing, Pakistani military, paramilitary and security forces are given tasks to arrest, kidnap
or kill any Baloch who talks or think about freedom. More than 600 military check post have been established all over Balochistan to control the activities
and movements of Baloch people. There are 80 thousand troops stationed in Balochistan and more troops are on the way. Balochistan have been
turned into a military occupied war zone. Baloch people are living in fear and in hopelessness. They are desperately looking at the world community
and the freedom loving people for their help and rescue against the tyranny of Pakistani and Iranian regimes. They are saying, "Enough is enough".
Western Occupied (Iranian) Balochistan.
In 19th century the British and Persian Empires divided Balochistan in to Eastern "British Balochistan" and western "Iranian Balochistan" as part of their
colonial policy of "divide and rule", to weaken the Baloch unity as one Nation. The Baloch in Western Balochistan have been in constant revolt against
the domination by and chauvinistic policy of Iranian governments. The revolt of Jask (1873), of Sarhad (1888) and the general uprising in 1889 resulted
in a scorched earth policy by Iranian forces in 1889, aimed at suppressing the Baloch rebellion. A major uprising under Baloch chieftain Sardar
Hussein Narui in 1896 prompted a joint Anglo-Persian expeditionary force to crush the resistance. The resistance was crushed after two years and
Chief Narui was arrested. In the beginning of the twentieth century, Bahram Khan gained control of almost the entire central and southern region of
Western Balochistan, ending the occupation by Iranian forces. In 1916, the British recognized him as the effective ruler of Western Balochistan. His
nephew, Mir Dost Mohamed succeeded Mir Bahram Khan. Mir Dost Mohamed’s attempts to consolidate his power coincided with the rise to power in
Persia of Reza Khan in 1921. In 1928 the Iranian forces began an operation against Mir Dost Mohamed.
Skirmishes continued for seven months and ended in the victory of Iranian forces over the Baloch and the eventual surrender of Mir Dost Mohamed.
Thus Western Balochistan was finally annexed by the Persian Empire. Until the Shah’s overthrow in January 1979, the Baloch Nationalist Movement in
Iran was a relatively insignificant force compared to the movement in Pakistani Balochistan. Due to suppression, the harsh methods that were used by
Iranian security forces and persecution by SAVAC (the Iranian secret police under the Shah), its leaders were forced to emigrate and operate
underground from foreign countries. They had little ongoing contact with their widely scattered supporters inside Iran. The handful of Baloch activists,
who braved the Shah’s repression, kept alive the spirit of resistance to Persian domination and thus directly set the stage for the resurgence of
nationalist activity that took place after the overthrow of the Shah. After the Shah’s overthrow a new political force emerged in Balochistan, alongside
traditional leaders comprising mostly of the educated young Baloch people.
Treatment of Baloch in Western (Iranian) occupied Balochistan.
Baloch people in Iran are treated as third class citizens, and are deprived of their cultural, social and
economic rights. They are rapidly losing their identity. The previously Baloch-dominated regions of Bandar Abbas, part of Kerman, Seistan and Zabol
are the most affected areas of the assimilation efforts by the Persian state. Now in all these areas the Baloch are a minority, even the capital city of
Zahidan does not look like a Baloch city. The Baloch in Iran are completely excluded from the structures of political, social and economic powers of the
country. The dissemination of Balochi culture and language is a declared act of treason against the state and is dealt with through brutal measures.
Many army garrisons are permanently stationed in Baloch areas. For most of the fifty years of Pahlavi rule, Tehran had to depend primarily on the use of
overt military force to keep the Baloch areas under control, even when there was little co-ordinated insurgent activity. Politically and economically the
Baloch are kept weak, disunited, and backward as much as Possible. This policy was implemented in practice so that in the last years of the Shah’s
regime Balochistan was the poorest province "with an estimated annual per capita income of $975, less than half of the $22000 national average for
rural areas and less than one-fifth of the overall national average." Balochistan is still the poorest province in Iran, followed by Kurdistan. The demise of
the Palavi dynasty and establishment of the Islamic Republic have not brought about any positive changes to the situation of the Baloch people, but
rather have worsened the oppression.
The use of the Balochi language is forbidden in public places and Baloch children are deprived of using their mother tongue as the medium of
instruction at school. The Iranian government does not allow any kind of freedom of press in Balochistan. Successive Iranian governments have been
engaged in demographic manipulations to systematically reduce the Baloch people to a minority in their own homeland. Government policy has been
based on giving easy access to non-Baloch to purchase land at a cheap price. The policy of keeping the Baloch backward has resulted in the lack of
job opportunities and impoverishment of the entire population. The policy of Iranian governments in dealing with different sectors of Baloch society is
based on "divide and rule". The politics of the Iranian Government in Balochistan is characterized by human rights violations and abuse. It has distorted
political, economical and cultural development of Balochistan and insulted the human dignity of Baloch people. Religion is manifestly being used as a
mean to assimilate Baloch nationality into Persian national identity. These basic realities have reinforced the Baloch’s general feeling of frustration and
determination of having their own independent State.
| Baloch Society Of North America (BSO-NA) Baloch Society Of North America (BSO-NA) is working to unite and Organize all Baloch in North America and to expose the Occupation of our land (Balochistan) and exploitations of our resources by Pakistani and Iranian Governments, and to bring their Human Rights Violations in Balochistan into the world’s Notice. |
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A Brief History Of Balochistan