Fazila Baloch

The Baloch people of Pakistan are currently undertaking a mass march toward their nation’s capital, Islamabad, led by the charismatic Dr. Mahrang Baloch—a prominent Baloch woman campaigning  against the oppression in Balochistan.

This movement, spanning over 2000 km, has encountered severe resistance, including beatings, arrests, tear gas, and high-pressure water cannons from Pakistani police and paramilitaries.

Unfortunately, both Pakistan and the international media have remained largely silent on this critical South Asian story, whose consequences could shape the region indefinitely.

This is not the first-time citizens of Pakistan have embarked on a long march for justice. In 2014, the Baloch people initiated a poignant journey from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, to Islamabad.

Motivated by collective protest against the prevalent issues of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings affecting their fellow countrymen and women, Mama Qadeer Baloch, in an interview with The Guardian at the height of the Long March 2014, emphasized, “This march and struggle were for the attention of the international community because the solution does not lie with Pakistan but with international media and institutions.”

Many Baloch individuals are now calling for the deployment of United Nations blue helmets to the region—a worrisome sign indicating persistent unrest rooted in repression and neglect.

Drawing parallels with historical events, many observers note similarities to the circumstances leading up to the Liberation War of 1971 in Bangladesh.

The Baloch people perceive themselves as marginalized in the political landscape, gradually pushed to the periphery by Islamabad’s self-centred policies.

Sadly, it appears that Pakistan has not fully learned from its own history, as evident from the brutal suppression of the justice march in 2005, 2014, and today.

The Baloch population faces the grim reality of becoming second-class citizens within the Punjabi-dominated Muslim republic, with Chinese investments further exacerbating tensions and fostering widespread resentment.

The palpable anger directed at Islamabad’s treatment of the Baloch community has turned the region into a volatile tinderbox.

What propels the  people of Balochistan to undertake this march once again?

At its core, the motivation lies in the quest for justice against the systemic ill-treatment and mysterious disappearances of their compatriots. The march serves as a collective cry for accountability and a plea to rectify the injustices meted out to the Baloch people by the authorities in Islamabad.

Speaking to Kiyya Baloch, a leading Baloch activist and journalist living in exile in Europe, he said, “This march is different from 2014 because it has had a huge impact on all of Balochistan. It passed through various Baloch-dominated areas from Turbat to Islamabad, garnering widespread attention and solidarity.” 

“Pakistan’s federal state does not appear to be working as it should. Many have called for greater autonomy. Some have called for Independence.

“However, the need for change or reform is strikingly clear. Baloch also said that Pakistan has lacked unity on these issues in the past but that was changing, “Notably, the march also gained traction in the southern Punjab province, where many Baloch live. Punjab, including the Baloch living in Punjab, have traditionally been silent about rights abuses in Balochistan.

“Still, for the first time, they joined hands with the people of Balochistan and held an impressive show of power in Dera Ghazi Khan.

“This march also successfully united various oppressed classes in Pakistan against Islamabad. It united ethnic Pashtuns and Baloch, who have long endured repression.

“A large number of women’s participation, including their leadership, also makes this march different. There is a bleak history of betrayal and use of force in Balochistan by Islamabad.

“It started in 1948. However, some Balochistan youths still believe Islamabad can resolve their problems. This is why they often look at Islamabad in order to raise their voice.

“However, Islamabad’s response has always been overwhelmingly negative, disappointing those who look to it to find solutions for long-standing problems.”

The large demand for justice on social media stretches across traditional divides in Pakistan. It supports Baloch’s analysis. 

Regional efforts for change and reform in Pakistan are growing, many Balochis supported the #SanctionPakistan campaign too.

The South Asian movement was started by Afghans who believe Islamabad’s negative role in regional affairs needs accountability to spark real change.

The sanction campaign ultimately failed, there was no appetite for Washington, London, Brussels, and New York to hold Pakistan’s feet to the fire for backing the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan,  but the need for a catalyst to kickstart reform and dialogue in Pakistan, on the domestic and foreign policy front, still remains. 

Fazila Baloch, another leading Baloch activist in exile with over 50K followers on Elon Musk’s X platform, recently commented on a viral video of Baloch marchers doused with high pressure water cannons that, “This is Islamabad. December 2023. Pakistani forces are repeating the same brutality with the Baloch as they did with the Bengalis in 1971. Pakistan did not learn from past mistakes and lost Bangladesh.”

The central authorities in Pakistan do not appear to have learnt any lessons from 1971 at all. 

In conclusion, the ongoing march led by the Baloch people to Islamabad, spearheaded by the inspirational figure Dr. Mahrang Baloch, unfolds as a poignant chapter in the struggle for justice and recognition.

The resonance with past movements, such as the 2014 march, and parallels drawn with the events preceding the Liberation War of 1971 in Bangladesh, underscore the persistent marginalization faced by the Baloch community within Pakistan.

The infusion of Chinese investments geared to suit Beijing and Islamabad while ignoring the local populations exacerbates existing tensions, rendering the region a volatile tinderbox.

The march represents not only a collective cry for accountability but also a plea to rectify the systemic injustices perpetrated against the Baloch people.

As the marchers cover over 2000 km, their resilience and determination underscore a deep-seated commitment to addressing the longstanding issues that have plagued their community, while the international community’s attention remains a crucial factor that could shape the region’s trajectory in profound ways.

The question persists: “Why aren’t they listening to the people of Pakistan?”

Chris Blackburn is the Communications Director of the Padma+Brahma Project. He also works with the European Bangladesh Forum (EBF) as an associate and is the European Outreach lead at Global Friends of Afghanistan (GFA).

He has worked on security, human rights, and democracy in South Asia for over 20 years.

He’s been recognised officially as a “Friend of Bangladesh” by the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

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