A multitude of parties took to the road outside Karachi Press Club in quick succession on Friday to speak on Balochistan, from the Jamaatud Dawa to the Sunni Ittehad Council and then the Jamaat-e-Islami.
The Sunni Ittehad Council protest, organised with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan, focused on denouncing the US since its House of Representatives’ Committee on Foreign Affairs convened a congressional hearing on Balochistan and a lawmaker introduced a resolution asking Pakistan to recognise Balochistan’s right to self- determination.
Speakers at the protest also criticised the Difa-e-Pakistan Council, dubbing its members “American, Indian and Israeli agents” who had never supported the ideology of Pakistan.
The Jamaat-e-Islami put up a ‘solidarity camp’, which was attended by its Karachi chief Mohammad Hussain Mehanti and regional leaders. Speakers reiterated criticism of the US but added on that the government had not paid attention to the crisis in Balochistan.
Ignored among these were those who have been sitting outside the press club for months, the Voice of the Missing Baloch People group, that sat next to JI’s camp in a tent of their own. Activist Qadeer Baloch, who heads the group, pleaded for people to stop describing the Baloch as upset (naraaz). “It is not like this is a fight between a woman and her daughter-in-law,” he said. “We are not naraaz; we are people who want freedom.”
Nasir Kareem Baloch was amused at the number of protesters who had all spoken on Balochistan. Referring to the JuD protest, he said, “They said whoever is America’s friend is a traitor. But America’s biggest friend is the Pakistan Army, Saudi Arabia and all these Muslim countries. Why do they fill our ears with [all] this?” Several political party leaders have stopped by this camp to express ‘solidarity’ with the Baloch, but that is the extent of their support.
While religio-political parties, including the JI, decried what they called US “interference”, these activists do not believe that this is the reality, nor do they feel that the oft-repeated accusation by the government – that there are “foreign hands” involved in Balochistan – has been bolstered by the US lawmaker’s move. “It is just supporting our stance. We hope that other countries, even communist countries like China and Russia, will support us,” Nasir Kareem said. “They also say that the ‘sardars’ are supporting us, but only two of them are, the rest are puppets of the government.” “We were dying before, and we are still dying,” he said, as he pointed out a poster hanging at the camp, with photos of the Baloch men who are said to have been killed by the intelligence agencies. “They were political activists. They said the same thing we do, but no one could hear it in the mountains.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 25th, 2012.
COMMENTS (27)
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For educational purpose of pakistanis :- Maoist are fighting for change in the political system and not for independence. :).. i know you will be sad to hear this .. :)..
strong text"Nasir Kareem Baloch, Referring to the JuD protest, he said, “They said whoever is America’s friend is a traitor. But America’s biggest friend is the Pakistan Army, Saudi Arabia and all these Muslim countries. Why do they fill our ears with [all] this?”[all]strong text[all]
Isnt this true?
Bhai Qadeer Baloch this freedom you are talking of is not for common Baloch.Now your sardars are misleading for those who have paid them.Just in neighbourhood Afghanistan,Iraq and Libya has been destroyed not build.British kept us slaves for centuries.
Lets see what Mr. Zardari has in his Book of Recipes this time. If Army/FC etc, is the reason Balochistan is held together with Pakistan then we had a similar precedent when Sindhi separatists went to asked India for help before the birth of MQM took place. I am afraid the center is not that lucky this time around. Is this protester saying "most Baloch leaders are with the government?" What is the problem then? I have a good feeling this issue can be handled with some self-analyses by Punjab & KPK. It's amazing the main culprit you thought all along are actually claiming to be the victim.
By the way......why the Indians above are so Self-Obsessed that everyone is talking about them? Also Kashmiris are muslims and half of them live & thrive in Pakistan but what India has common with Pak-Baloch? You know if you closely see the Red light in-front of you its Green on both sides__ does that mean you can go ahead? Look only at the light infront of you. Not who else got a green light. You will crash soon, rest aside feeding the poor & the sick family.
@hope: and all: If you talk against Baloch Sardari System, You talk against the Baloch people. So stop saying all that non-nonsensical stuff against our sardari system.
Where were these political parties when U.S. has not talked about Balochistan issue?
@huzaifa: Wow what a joke u cracked! U r asking an outsider to believe a pakistani. When yr own people do not trust you, how can balochis do ?
dear Qadeer Baloch@ Kindly let me know that you are talking about which Balochistan's freedom. Dear you are Minority in Balochistan and don't speak for Pashtoons, Makranis and Durees. You are already AZAD and are under occupation of your mighty tribal leaders. Believe me, fight for your freedom from SARDARS and you will be free in real sense.
@yajsingh: Bit ironic to hear about "silencing the media" from you, especially considering that the Indian government does not allow any foreign media to enter Jammu and kashmir. How come the hue and cry about media suddenly goes down the drain there, care to enlighten?
I have seen these comments. I notice that the tendency among most commenters here is to ignore the problem reported in the new item they are commenting on and instead keeping on pointing that similar problem exists elsewhere (read India). What is the use of this. Pakistan should solve its own problems and not give a chance to outsiders to "interfere" in their "internal matters". A fight between husband and is an "internal matter" for them as long as they do not keep disturbing the neighbors peace of mind. I am already sensing what kind of comments people are going to post in response to my post. They are going to point to problems in India. Doing that is not going to solve Pakistan's problems.
What is the authenticity of 'our correspondent' as the author of this article? Our media sucks big time!!
OK the time has come to be more rational and look for a path that would stop the disintegration of Pakistan First and foremost the Supreme Court has to be very bold and precise in issuing a world wide arrest warrant for Ex President Musharraf and brought home for trial for murder of many prominent Baloch and other persons. This will shake up the hidden conspirators still very active in the Army of Pakistan. Actually it will be the Army on trial and not Mush and it should be an on camera live, open , and fully visible to public..a trial. that will make all the Pakistanis think where things have gone wrong the maraton soul searching will begin. If Mush is not brought to trial then let it be known that The Pakistani spring is virtually on the door steps and no one will be able to stop its momentum and that includes the nuclear weapons that the Army will threaten to unleash on its own people and the citizens of India too..we have a very difficult 12 months ahead...the whole of the sub continent will be in flames if the Armed Forces of Pakistan are not thrown back behind the Garrison doors.. There is every chance that the whole world will get caught into this ...but if Mush is brought to justice may be we would have taken our first steps to believing in Self Respect... Regards and God Bless Viren Naik
@Baloch: Kashmiri can speak for themselves and also they come to delhi for protests.And they get good education from tax payers money. If they don't want to live with India then they can go to Pakistan Occupied kashmir.
@All Pakistanis :- Pls make it clear who is the actual "American, Indian and Israeli agents." And also who is not. So that we Indians can understand your grievances better.
@yajsingh: sir what about the tamals and nexls who killed more than 80 indian army men on first day of the operation ..... they also need freedom
whattt who the balochis are to ask for balochistan... they are less than 40% of total population... and look at the life stadreds of baloch sardars ,,,,, and any kid who is born in the tribe is a slave of a saradar by birth ..... we should vanish this sardari system get the baloch people free from sardars
Anti -India attitude for past six decades took pakistan nowhere...while world moved on , including India, pakistan is on a retrogressive path.....today, pakistan has to beg for even a penny to stay alive, it has no economy, its natural resources are minimal and whatever is there is far from being used, people battered by poverty, floods and diseases still has no where to live even after billions of aid money hoping one day they will be helped, its public units like railways and PIA are total failure without any other alternative, and its army eating away all the hard begged money for its own satisfaction......facing all these problems pakistanis are not worried at all, because they have only one thing to talk and think about - INDIA....number of indian poors, number of troubled regions in India bla bla bla ............Having lost all the wars with india, reduced to half of the size Pakistanis are still far from reality......But now, after decades of problems, they will have 50% less problems to worry about as pakistan is on the brink of another division which will leave it half of its present size......on the other hand, Kashmir will be there with India and India will keep on growing on all the fronts......
@yajsingh jee: so, what about poor kashmiries?
It is a good time to hear the voices of oppressed.
Its never too late..Pakistan still have a chance to fix matters if they show urgency.
You mean, divorce?
Qadeer Baloch sir,
every pakistan understands your grief , please be united in bad times.
ET thanks for this article, yes due attention should be given to Baluchistan issue but are you only giving voice to separatists ?? or will you also try get the view the views of those Baluchi leaders who DO NOT want to get separated? It seems ET is only focusing on the seperation side of the issue and not on those Baluchis who want to reconcile and get their issues resolved. Yes they dont want too much interference from the Centre but at the same time they dont want to live under fuedals the likes of Bugti. So please more balanced coverage is needed.
@Pakistan politics ......where did we last heard this kind of tell-tall claims .....oh yes I remember .......during 1971 ......when Bangladesh was in the offing and our leaders were appeasing the masses "sab thik hai , satwan beda of Amricka bus aane hi wala hai ...." Wake up bhaijaan .
@Pakistan politics silence the media, silence everyone seeking equal rights, silence the world - answer to all evils gripping pakistani society - Brilliant!
Guess what? i suggest reading "how an ostrich head made it below the ground".
If media stops publishing Mari's Mengals and Bugti's statements u will notice peace will prevail and situation will calm down suddenly, Media plays big role in igniting the fire, believe me i m not trying to justify that there is no feel of deprivation or other problems m just saying