The Settlers in Balochistan
Balochistan is primarily the land of Baloch. The British included some Pathan areas in Balochistan for administrative or political reasons, and over the years, some areas of Balochistan have been distributed to Pakistani provinces of Punjab, Sindh, and NWFP, Afghanistan and Iran. Such meddling with natural boundaries created a heterogeneous population of many ethnicities in Balochistan. Recently, Afghan wars brought in more non-Baloch in Balochistan.

But the term 'settlers' or 'abadkar' is not used for Afghans in Balochistan. It is specifically for Punjabis and Muhajirs who have settled in Quetta. It is amazing that not many settlers can be found outside the capital.

I intend to write about their relationship with the 'natives'; Baloch & Pathans. It will be unfair to generalize, but most of the settlers can be seen as the Anglo-Indians who put forth petitions after petitions to Queen Victoria, to not let go of India, because these people thought themselves English, and subject of England, and did not see themselves as Indians. In Balochistan, it is almost the same case. The settlers have not been able to connect with the people. Their loyalties are not with the land, but with occupiers. They associate themselves with the Quaid Residency, and not the chiltan hills. Having lived in Balochistan for more than 50 years, not even 10% of them can speak a local language; Balochi or Pashto, or Brahvi. Most of them live in what used to be a safe area of Quetta; The Cantt. But with the coming problematic times, they find themselves caught in crossfire.

Some settlers says that in 70s, their house were marked by Baloch fighters. Baloch say that the government did this to make these people afraid, and made them cooperate with the occupiers. They are usually the readily available fodder for anti-sardar and anti-baloch stance in Pakistan.


Here are two conflicting views of the situation in Balochistan by the 'Settlers' in he Urdu Daily 'Jang'.

Here writes an Anti-Baloch columnist about the The future of the settlers.
Here a Pro-Baloch settler writes a letter to a columnist, and part 2.
Here is another Pro-Baloch but anti-sardar article.

So, all is not lost. There are a few settlers who consider Balochistan home, and care about people of Balochistan.

All Balochistanis are equal.

UPDATE: 24th Feb 2005

A Mr. Haji wrote a letter in Daily Dawn about the identity of non-Baloch in Balochistan, which got a few baloch very furious. I do not see any harm in calling non-Balochs 'Balochistanis'. After independence, What will we call our nation? Of course, We can't call it Baloch, because it will also include non-Baloch. Will we force them to call themselves Baloch? We can't. It is very important that we tell all the people of Balochistan (non-Baloch specially) that they will not be second-class citizen in free Balochistan. Do we want to do to non-baloch what Pakis have been doing to us?

In free Balochistan, there will be Baloch, Pashtun, Hazaras, and Punjabis too. But they will all be Balochistanis and all will have equal say, and equal rights. We, Baloch, will have to make that sure.

My Balochistan will not be another Pakistan.

Bugti's ultimatum
Bugti says he is giving the government ten days to prove the allegations against him.

What is he going to do after ten days?

Baloch in the eyes of Paki and Indian Military
Here are a few links from a Paki military consortium (Pak Defence) and also from Bharat Rakshak the Indian militrary websites consortium.

Paki: Unrest in Balochistan

Indian: Probing the Baluch National Question
Indian: Options Before the Baloch Nationalists

It is simply amazing how they see the situation in Balochistan. Please also note the differences in their attitudes towards the Baloch, as well as, toward others posters in those forums.

UPDATE:
17th Feb

Here is another Paki forum, and a few threads links. The extract below summarizes the sentiments shown in that forum towards Baloch.

" do you remember the 1973-77 insurgency in Baluchistan???

have you read about it???

people said exactly the same things about those baluch tribsmen ... they will not dissappear ... when one dies another will be born ... all the usual worthless trash ...

what happened in REALITY????

we eliminated the die-hard rebels, killed those who would NOT give up ... and that whole movement was exterminated ...

those rebels lie in UNMARKED graves and even their names are forgotten biggrin

understood????

we will do the same with these foreign animals and their merceneries ...

one by one ... we will KILL each and every ONE !!!

and their names and disposal dumps will be forgotten and remain unmarked biggrin."



A few threads

Baloch Leaders Meet Us Envoy, Not good..
Baloch Leader Warns Musharraf
Who Is Supporting Bla?, Baloch Liberation Army
Gunmen Kill Five Pakistani Soldiers
Balochistan And Tibet

GOOD NEWS!!
The Inspector General of Police of Balochistan Mr. Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob says that there are about 40 training camps in Balochistan, and in each around 400 guerillas are being trained.

That is a total of around 15,000 fighters. That's a good number.

The fall of Mir Hazar
Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani Marri was a Baloch hero. WAS!!!! He is alive today, but he isn't a hero any more. He is a warlord who can be rented to fight other Baloch. He talks about development, jobs, etc...but his actions reek of personal enmity with Sardar Khair Bux, which made him to reach towards Pakis.

He decided to be the counter-force against Nawab Marri, claiming that nawab is cruel. How is he any different than Ahamadan Kalpar? The Kalpar traitor also speaks the same words. He also gets money from Government. He also has people to fight the nawab. His main contention is also the same; i am good, nawab is bad.

Here, we have a situation, where egos, that are too big, refuse to budge before the common good of Baloch.

In this interview, Mir Hazar says;"Only the government can build the infrastructure, undertake development and explore the mineral resources of our area."

Yes, We know that. But whose government??? Paki government or a Balochi government???? You fought for that balochi government, remember? What happened along the way? Was the journey too difficult? or you simply couldn't refuse the offer laid before you of riches and power???

Instead of remaining immortal in Baloch history books, Mir Hazar has chosen to be another minor tribal chief, who will be soon forgotten, unlike Mir Sher Mohammad marri, who will keep inspiring young Baloch.

As an afterthought, here are a few links to two Pro-Hazar khan articles; The Truth is out, and The ice has started melting.

US State Department Memo
Here is a link to a US Department of State Confidential memo of 1972 about the situation in Balochistan then, predicting war in Balochistan. The last sentence is important.

Musharraf's Photo Op
Here we go. our tragedy gives Mushharraf a chance to gather his minions, and march to a few homeless maeds, and make them say Pakistan Zindabad.

Yah, Mushharraf saab, Pakistan is really going to be zindabad, if our misery is only a propaganda tool for you.

To me, that was one of the most pathetic show on TV. Musharraf throwing parcels among the crowds of children. His posture. His attitude. His speech. everything was in bad taste. And, it reduced my nation to a status of beggars.

Now, Musharraf would like us to trade our respect for a few blankets. I thank Mushrraf and his army for helping us in this hour of need. But i would have really loved it, if it was without conditions of listening to Musharraf's speeches about how good his army is.

UPDATE: 14th feb

Musharraf says that not many people died. It is just Media exaggerating things.

UPDATE: 15th Feb

Shaikh Rasheed - The Savior of Baloch

Mirani Dam
Just a thought!!!

You heard of rains, and dams busting in Makkoran. What would have happened if Mirani Dam was ready? My bet is that the destruction would have been tenfold.

God help us from those who want to 'develop' us.

Confused
Azad Baloch used to be the Representative of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). But today he accepted the responsibility of the blast in Barkhan on behalf of Balochistan People's Liberation Front (BPLF).

Now i am confused. So which organization is he in? BLA? BLF? BPLF? or is it that all these are the same with different names?

Nawab Marri!!!
You hear Akbar Bugti almost daily on this or that media. Ataullah is never off the radar. But where is Nawab Marri?

He is our silent warrior. He was the first who said, "no development without political rights", for which he has been thrashed by Paki as well as Baloch media. Nawab Bugti chose to have it both ways, he allowed the gas plants to be built, and he also keeps talking about Baloch rights. Nawab marri could had easily gone for a compromise, if he had chosen so, probably rewarded with a ministerial job like Jamali and Rind. There have been all kinds of attacks on him. There is a hazari fouj (led by Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani Marri) specially tailor-made against nawab Marri. The nawab himself was arrested a few years back. I think there still are a few cases/ warrants against him.

Nobody considers him a saint. Of course, he is a sardar. Probably, he has killed more men of his own tribe, than of paki army. But he has always kept the faith in Balochistan alive. He does not speak much, but when he does, it is always about a free Balochistan.

But what has got to him, now? Does he need an official invitation to join the fight? What is holding him from openly doing what he always has talked about; freedom fight?

Some say, that BLA is actually run by Balach Marri, nawab's son. It is very possible. But i also do not consider Balach, or Hayrbeyar (his other son) to be worthy of being leader of Baloch. My utopia about BLA does not include Balach.

Nawab sahib, please die fighting, and not coughing in a hospital bed. Let us tell our kids of a warrior who died for our cause, and not as a cynic whose ego didn't permit him to act when he was needed the most.

UPDATE: 8th feb.

Nawab Marri again said today that; Armed struggle only way out. Yes!!! Nawab Sahib, We Know. Now please stop talking, and do just that.

Daily Aasap says that nawab marri isn't feeling very well, and might have to leave the country for medical reasons. Nawab Sahib, go where ever you want to, but please fight the last battle.

Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia, where people can add and edit anything written by other users.

Look at what has happened at the Baloch page. Currently it says;

"Balochi people are not struggling for freedom from Pakistan or Iran.The present Prime Ministor of Pakistan is a Balochi.They are ruling Pakistan."

Yeah, right!!!

Kalpars & Semi-Kalpars
Looks like that Kalpars have decided not to be Baloch any more. In their private battle with Sardar Bugti, they have taken the sides with Pakistan, against the Baloch.

Kalpar is a subtribe, of a subtribe of Bugti tribe. They used to live in Dera Bugti area, before they got into a fight with nawab Bugti. There were fights, deaths on both sides. Kalpars even managed to kill a few member of nawab's family. In early 90s, they were given state protection, and were taken to areas of Sindh, and Punjab as refugees. The Government still pays them. For their survival they are totally dependent on state, and the enemity still goes on.

But this is the latest twist where they can be used as a counter-force against Baloch fighters. They are paraded on TV, as the witness to nawab's cruelties and corruption, and as the good 'Bugties'.

Kalpar cheif now says Pakistan is our mother. Ahmadan Bugti says that Akbar Bugti Wants To Keep People Backward. Also, Ahamdan meets Corps Commander, and another Khan Mohammad Kalpar says the land is ours, please pay us.

Seems like, the government has got enough Mir Sadiqs and Mir Jaffars to unleash on baloch. In the marri areas, there is Hazari fouj. In Bugti areas, it is the kalpars and mazaris. In the Mengal area, they have Zehries and Khan of Kalat. In Makkoran, they have druglords mascarading as politicians. In Lasbela, they have Jams.

We, baloch, might not be that strong that we think we are.

UPDATE: 8th Feb.

An ex-official in Balochistan said today that the policy to use Kalpars against Nawab Bugti was first devised in 1993 by Benazir Government.

These guys are paranoid

The Israelis are coming :)

Bush for Baloch?
Bush said in his State of the Union Address on 3rd Feb:

"And to the Iranian people, I say tonight: As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you."

Really? America will support Baloch? When will that day come? When America is busy lending a few more years to countries like Pakistan to exist, liberty for Baloch doesn't seem that high on her list of To-Dos.

But then Condi already said that Iran isn't on the agenda. Huh?

Che a Chaare (what do u seek?)
Che a Chaare o bangulein warna (what do u seek O handsome lad)
O watan maat e asirat o umaet (O motherland's hope and wish)

Thaee Watan Burta Sillein Houn waraan (Your country has been snatched by blood thirsty barbarians)
Handey Maa Aasman a dast nabeeth (even open skies have no place for you)

Ae nahanth jammrani grand o girok (these thunders and lightening are not from clouds)
Chamm thaee sabzein kohsaran sakk anth (why do u look at these mountaintops)

Bamb o toup e golo laganth ke kapanth (These are the bombs and tanks that fire)
Koh o dashtan mey pad ma pad tarak anth (which fall on our lands, one after another)

Suhr anth hounan cha mey yalaani, talar (these mountains are red from our comrades' blood)
Siyahein haak o purr anth gulein hankein (the land is black and the greenery ashen)

Guzn o luchi a nijeinta dantaan (misery has set its teeth upon us)
Bastaganth dung o zung aan raah tankein (and the dacoits have blocked our way)

Seth o boutar o samraaj e dallal (the sellers of our nation)
Hakim o kardaar o Khan o wazir (the ruler, leader, and the chief)

Samraaj e panah e chaer a kannanth (they are being supported by the oppressor)
Loutt o pull, kusht o kosh, band o begir (they kill, plunder, and gag us)

Paisla che inth, bangulein warna (what is your decision, o lad?)
Was wasaan nei dil a cha darr bikan (take out all hesitances from your heart now)

Zind pa muhtaaji o pa chamm jahli (life in misery and with dishonor?)
Mout sobaani ya pa qoum o watan (or a glorious for your nation, and country)

Mir Gul Khan Naseer
Central Jail, Sahiwaal, Punjab
7th July 1968

Paki Army a sissy?
What is keeping paki Army from openly going after the 'miscreants' in Balochistan? Why not an all-out operation?

Even, after all those sabotage acts on rail tracks, power towers, police stations, Quetta cant, Gas pipelines, have the Hussains (Shujaat & Mushahid) managed to keep the faujis calm?

We are not talking about a thinking, and compassionate army here. It is pak Army. It has killed people before for lesser reasons. so why not this time?

Today, there was a bomb blast at an exhibition centre at Karachi, which the Musharraf Pasha had inaugurated. I do not know for sure yet, but if it was from us (i mean BLA) this definitely was one of the most provocative ones. And Army has still not started the killings in large numbers. Strange, isn't it?

Perhaps, the army cares about the Baloch now? No way
Maybe, the army has stopped producing General Guls & Begs? doesn't look like so.
Or, the army is working for a polictial solution? why is it making the cant at Sui then?
And, will the army let go of BLA for a reconciliation with Baloch people? no chance.

So, it probably is the time frame and intensity of a military operation in Balochistan that we look towards, and not the probability whether it is going to happen or not.

We await.

The Mysterious Arms Saleman
So, where are those Baloch fighters getting those rockets from, to pour at Quetta Cantt?
After all, who is this saleman?

Paki Foreign Office: It's Iran.
Paki Interior Minister: It's Afganistan.
Balochistan Cheif Minsiter: It's India. (may be Iran)
Paki Urdu Press: It's US (may be Israel)

My Opinion: You really do not need to be supplied weapons from any foreign country. There is enough stock of it present inside Balochistan to sustain the war for at least a few years.

And if there is demand, there will always be suppliers.

Hurting Pakistan
In those few days of early January at Sui, about 1000 rockets were fired. This week, there wasn't a single day when Balochistan wasn't rocked by blasts. Quetta, Khuzadar, Mastung, Kohlu, Turbat, Kalat, Sibi, Sui, etc. Almost any town in Balochistan, that can be called so, has been attacked.

Is this a good strategy?

Well, to an extent, Yes.

Pakis have been so far concentrating on the economic benefits and schemes that they have started in Balochistan. Shujahat Hussain says that he has created a package for Baloch that is beyond any Baloch's thought. It is the time to tell them, that roads, electricity, royalties, etc. are not all that we are fighting for. We want sovereignty. We want freedom.

I know the people in Quetta might not be feeling very nice when they aren't able to switch on their electric heaters in this cold, but freedom never comes cheap. We should know that we will have to let go of some luxuries that we enjoy so much, for a greater cause.

What Should be our next step?

Attacking Lahore???

That can wait for the time being.

Dr. Abul Maali is a Baloch!!!
No, he might not be. But i would like him to be.

Dr. Abul Maali Syed has been quoted many times in the last few days. Read him on SAT.

A free, modern, tolerant, and prosperous Balochistan!!! Isn't it a dream of every baloch? shouldn't it be the destiny of Baloch? aren't we entitled to such a dream?

Nah, we are not. We can only live in the misery that has so penetrated our every thought. We are supposed to dream about better royalty from Sui gas, not respect and honour as a nation. We aren't even supposed to live as a nation (good or bad, who cares?), but as a minority. Our 'problems' are going to be solved by people of caliber of Chaudary Shujahat and Sheikh Rasheed. Our freedom movement has to be launched by a mysterious foreign power, and not us, after all, we are not expected to know of things like freedom, self-determination, etc.

Dr. Syed, thanks for dreaming a dream that we Baloch hold so dear.

Baloch VS Pathan
By chance i got into this afghan site. Read these posts 1, 2 where this totally immature baloch Vs Pashtoon thing is going on.

This is really amazing. Two nations, which are almost natural allies, can't see eye to eye. Our enemies are same. Our forefathers have been allies (at times enemies too). We have been living together on these lands for thousand of years. Our cultures have similarities. There were pashtoon tribes which are Baloch now, and vice versa. But we can't tolerate each other???

Just imagine for an instance that baloch and Pashtoon stand up for each other!! No punjabi or farsi will ever be able to play with our destinies again. But alas, this seems like only wishful thinking. Emerging from our mutual insecurities and mistrust seems like such a big ask.