For the last few years, “defining Baloch intellectuals” has been a debate in the Baloch political circle – specifically among the students. For one, an intellectual was one like martyred professor Saba Dashtyari who was among the people and leading them intellectually in the movement’s literary and political spheres based on the needs of hour, while for others Surat Khan Marri is a debate for his critical view and writings on the Baloch national movement. For some, an intellectual always emerges from within a revolutionary party, but for others they are the products of the common national sufferings who are “not to come under the party”. The later gives the logic that an intellectual is one who is unbiased and looks at all the happenings critically and brings forth favorable and timely advice while their affiliation to a party would “likely make them biased”. But for others, exemplifying Lenin, Mao, Maxim Gorky, Ho Chi Minh, Edward Said, Amilcal Cabral, Frantz Fanon and others are of the view that intellectuals are the products of the party itself.
In any case whatsoever, Professor Saba Dashtyari is deemed as a Baloch intellectuals among all the sects of people belonging to any party or the common civilian across the Baloch regions. Saba tirelessly devoted his life to the development of Balochi language and the Baloch political resistance by defining not only his role, but also proving to be a guideline for any other Baloch revolutionary. “You cannot stop me from speaking the truth. I will express myself. If you believe in the right of expression. It is not enough. It is not enough. If you believe in reality. If you believe in truth.” Echoed the Karachi Press Club when Saba was interrupted by a journalist midway his speech on ground facts on enforced disappearances of the Baloch. He spoke and spoke tirelessly and technically.
Only very recently, the National Institute of Balochiology (NIB) published a series of Professor Saba’s interviews (4) and speeches (6) on different occasions during his lifetime covering his literary, political and personal life, deriving his vision. Comprising of only 115 pages, the collection evaluates important events of the Baloch professor and traces his background and his interest to work for the persistence of the Balochi language. His strong contributions include the establishment of a research and literary institute in the name of Sayad Zahoor Shah Hashumi, named as Sayad Hashmi Reference Library for the academic development of Balochi language and promoting the research mentality/behavior among the Baloch. He believed, “A very key factor we lack is the research culture among us as a nation which is the need of hour.”
Apart from this, he felt a strong need of institutionalization in the Baloch struggle which, he affirmed, was the only means to not only promote Balochi language but the other aspects of Baloch life. He, like everyone else, also felt the state’s ignorant behavior towards the Baloch and was, thus, suggesting his people to work with their self-support to make institutions which ensure their national safety, including the protection of their mother languages. “I know our institutions will not be as strong as of a state, but we need to give our best to make them as better as possible,” he advised.
Besides Balochi, Saba used to compose poetries in Urdu and Persian as well. Nevertheless, he initiated his literary career as an Urdu poet in 1962, and his arrival towards the Balochi literature was nothing more than a coincidence, as he himself confesses it too. “Azad Jamaldini was the first person who motivated me towards Balochi writing, and he taught me too,” Saba said, while recalling his arrival in the world of Balochi literature where he began as a script writer for radio. “I had never thought to come towards Balochi neither was my decision preplanned,” he confessed in an interview. Rest became the history for the Balochi literature.
Saba was a father for every Baloch student in Quetta – where he was a professor of the Philosophy in the University of Balochistan. He did not marry and said, “All the Baloch students are my sons and daughters.” He was equally loved and respected by every single Baloch student and others. We can derive the affection of Baloch students for Saba in Balach Baali’s written Preface of Saba’s book by NIB. He recalls that when they heard of the news of firing on Saba, he, along with his friends, lost their consciousness and ran towards the hospital which had already been filled with people. Students, teachers, clerics, shopkeepers, professors – all had come in the hospital. All crying.
On June 1, 2011, during his routine walk in the Saryab road with one of his students, Sakim Sukun, unknown armed men opened fire on Saba, orphaning the Baloch and Balochi. Though Saba departed physically, his vision is alive and evolving well, which is evident in Baloch Students Action Committee’s (BSAC), an established student organization across Baloch region, series of festivals under the umbrella of “Saba Literary Festival” held, and to be held, in various Baloch regions.
To curb, this short book is a clear guide on what Saba wanted to do for Baloch and Balochi. One among his favorite tasks was to reshape Sayad Hashmi Reference Library into National Institute of Balochiology under the banner of which he was to invite the scholars to work on all the fields of life academically and scientifically with proper research which merely became a dream. With the first publication of Saba’s interviews and speeches under the same name, NIB, we hope Saba will relive among his people through his dream. While the growing interests of Baloch students towards research-related works is a reflection of what professor guides the nation years ago.
