Stating that Pakistan has never given rights to the Baloch people, Hakeem Baloch, a Baloch National Movement (BNM) activist said that it is 'high time' for the world to raise its voice against the atrocities being committed against the people in Balochistan. In an interview with ANI, Hakeem highlighted the struggle of the Baloch community and said that they have still not lost the spirit to raise their voices on all platforms.
Explaining the current condition of the Baloch people, he said, "The Pakistani state, since its inception, has never provided justice to Balochistan, and it is the same situation right now. The family of Baloch missing persons were in Islamabad recently, to protest against the regime in extreme cold weather, and the government instead of providing them justice, instead of sympathizing with them and listening to their painful stories, started blaming the victims". "They had started blaming the protestors, started blaming the members of Baloch Yakjeheti Committee, including Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch," he added.
Hakeem further added that this shows the real face of how "ignorant, prudent and inhuman" the Pakistani state is. He further said that this is high time for the world to understand the situation in Balochistan. Speaking on the recent protests, he said that it was a result of the "staged murder" of four Baloch youth by the counter-terrorism department of the Balochistan police.
"The family of one of these victims decided to protest against his killing. They brought his dead body to the street of Turbat. And that sit-in was joined by thousands of people across Balochistan. These protestors marched from Turbat to Quetta and then to Islamabad, where thousands of people were welcoming them, listening to their stories and joining them," Hakeem said. He added, "The Baloch women were not there as just as the sister or mother of missing persons, but as a leader to unite the 'Baloch nation'. And this is what the protest has achieved. If you see when these protestors reached Islamabad, since then in Balochistan outside of Balochistan, everywhere in the world where the Baloch are residing they have been protesting" according to the Baloch activist.
Furthermore, the activist also mentioned that the Balochi people have been calling the world to raise their voices against these injustices, against the enforced disappearances and the enforced encounters "This is something that is giving new hope to these protestors. As the people are realizing that if they are to live with their dignity they have to stand against the Pakistani regime," he added.
Hakeem also spoke about the armed operation carried out by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has claimed killing over 60 personnel and destroying several military and government installations in that area. He said that this "war" was not started by the Baloch people, but has instead been imposed upon them. Stating that "self-defence" is the right of Baloch people, he added that it is upto Pakistan, how will it resolve the conflict.
"This is not a war that was started by the Baloch. The war was imposed upon the Baloch people, when Balochistan was forcefully annexed by the Pakistani state, and this struggle goes back to March 27, 1948. So since then, the Baloch people have been resisting. The Baloch have used all means of struggle, be it the political, media, human rights, education, militant struggle, or the armed struggle," the BNM activist said. He added, "Now, it is the Pakistani state, where they want to take this struggle. Whether they want to resolve this issue, by giving Baloch people their just right, or does Pakistan want to continue the occupation, the suppression, and the subjugation of the Baloch people? I believe the Baloch will have the right to defend themselves and their motherland, and to struggle for its freedom until they regain what was their home."
