Since 1948, Pakistan has been involved in suppressing and harassing Baloch dissents, which, each time, results in exposing the black and worst picture of the state. However, the state never learns from all its previous brutal crackdowns. It is very unfortunate that Pakistan has been showcasing a very colonial status to the Baloch people to leave their land that belongs to their ancestors. This is quite understandable that people who love their land more than their souls are never going to quit their soil, whether or not there is suppression and injustice. Therefore, Mir Muhammad Ali Talpur once beautifully describes the immense love pertaining to the Baloch’s land in the following words: “We love Balochistan not because it is mineral-rich, but because it is our motherland. Even if it didn’t have a pint of oil or an ounce of gold, we would still love it. From the sun that rises to the wind that blows, are all our resources.”

There is no doubt that the state has been utilizing diverse tactics and crackdowns to suppress Baloch from uniting and fighting against the barbarism of the state. From the first day till today, the so-called state always prefers crackdowns as their only weapon to silence the resistance of Baloch, but each time, it is, undoubtedly, being defeated.

Of all the crackdowns, Islamabad’s one remains one of the most heinous ones to be a part in Baloch history when protesters led a long march from Turbat to the capital city where they faced shameful and brutal rewards from the state. It did not take them much time, the state once again brutally showed the same behavior against the protestors in Quetta. After all, it managed to find none of the other options to impede the resistance of Baloch, but unfairly baton-charged and arrested the peaceful protesters in Karachi on 18th January, 2025, yesterday, with a prior attempt to assassinate the protesters in Hub the earlier day.

Witnessing all the crackdowns taking place against peaceful protesters In Balochistan, one nearly imagines how Pakistan wants to wreck away the contemporary resistance of Baloch. In truth, Baloch has been portraying a very great picture of bravery against each and every injustice from the last pages of history. Hence, this is still continued today even becoming more powerful and stronger. In addition, the question remains why is it appearing stronger day by day? The answer is simple: it is all due to the state’s oppression and brutality to make the Baloch stronger and more courageous to stand firm against all the brutes bravely. This is clear because the more the state suppresses them, the greater they resist.

The most unfortunate point comes when we witness how the constitutional laws are being denied and ignored in the country. Article 15, which ensures the existence of peaceful movements, and 19 which ensures freedom of speech, expression and the press, yet the state is interested in violating its own so-called laws each time when it comes to Baloch problems. The same is with Article 10, pertaining to enforced disappearances. From the first day, Baloch have been peaceful to persist their movements against the barbarism, but they are still termed ‘terrorists’ sometimes by the interior ministers and other times by the prime ministers in one way or the other. The unfortunate truth is that power speaks a lot as it is beautifully said, “Unlimited power in the hands of limited people always leads to cruelty.”

Among all, we are spotting how the police force once was a symbol of advocacy and peace for the public safety is becoming more cruel to attack the protestors in Pakistan. Till 1960s, the most common tactic used by the police was to line up in front of the protesters and, at the slightest provocation, fire rounds of tear gas before charging and smashing into the protesters with batons. The idea was to create fear in the protesters and a sense of dread. This often led to multiple injuries and even deaths. These were ‘bad optics’ as well for an institution that wished to be seen as a legitimate force, out to prevent violence and chaos. The tactics which are being used by the police these days on Baloch and other protesters in the country remind us of the same story coming from 1960 till today. This is always condemnable and unacceptable.

The Baloch have fought for their rights since the inception of Pakistan, and during Gen Ayub and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s time. Initially, their struggles were led by area-wise people, and for which they took to the hills to challenge the state. However, things have changed now, the contemporary Baloch are well-educated. They represent their future themselves. Today, the women who are participating in Baloch political movements are thirsty for knowledge and wisdom to bring a more and just equitable politics in their province.

Above all, targeting and harassing Baloch women is a very embarrassing action in Pakistan, terming itself a democratic country. It is immensely certain that no law permits the state police to baton-charge the women and peaceful protesters for raising their voices for the sake of spreading awareness of their loved ones forcibly picked up by the same state. The latest crackdown taking place in Karachi on the Baloch peaceful protesters was quite heart-wrenching to expose the state’s barbarism.

Grabbing the shawls and baton charging the women was already, and is a huge humiliation for the state as it is not only an attack on the Baloch women, but indeed, an attack on Baloch culture and conscientiousness. This is mostly seen the state always takes the religion to justify their problems as we have recently observed when VPNs were blocked. However, the question is if Islam permits the police to attack women or why here the Islamic laws are not followed regarding women status? Why is the Ideology of Islamic Council in Pakistan silent regarding the worst forms of injustice on Baloch women done by the police several times? Now, who dares to answer this?

Depressingly to mention, a state which tries to counter nationalism through enforced disappearance is interested in suppression, not solution. Secondly, it is clear that the state headed over by a Prime Minister believes that democracy is not the solution to the Baloch problem. Similarly, as noted that the commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances received 9,967 cases up to August 2023, out of which 2,708 cases belong to Balochistan, but no state official has been held responsible for enforced disappearance in the last over two decades. Again the point comes when the term “Baloch” comes out. In response to all of the barbarism, the state always returns the same message, “Baloch are angry and emotional for negotiation.”

It is now clear that today’s Baloch (like every other era) are not emotional, but sensible and realistic people to stand firm against the colonial rules. Thus, if the situations go like so, there are more chances of hatred among Baloch in the upcoming days. Whichever solutions today are being taken are surely not going to counter the Baloch problems, rather this intensifies the situation more. Meaningful dialogues between elite classes (state) and oppressed ones (Baloch) are the only solution to bring stability and peace in the country.

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