Mehran Baluch

Press conference at the Geneva Press Club

June 16, 2010

As I stand before you, I feel pride Pakistan's establishment has miserably failed to crush the Baloch people's resolve for independence  in spite of barbaric atrocities and Nazi-style brutalities in Balochistan in five military operations.

Today we as a people and nation have a simple demand; independence of Balochistan.

Balochistan's history of struggle against the British colonial rule did not stop with the departure of the British from Balochistan. It is an irony that though Balochistan gained independence separately from India and Pakistan on August 11, 1947, we were deprived of our short-lived freedom on March 27, 1948 at gun-point. Balochistan landed in double jeopardy since then as military of the state of Pakistan, which in itself is not a very legitimate organization, became masters of my land, Balochistan.

I mean an imperial power let us go, but we became a neo-colony of a client state. Many believe we were better off under London more than 60 years ago than we are now under Islamabad.

In the West there is talk about the David and Goliath struggle. The heroic struggle of my Baloch people reminds me of just that.

My salutes to the fallen heroes including Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, Waja Ghulam Mohammad Baloch, Lala Munir Baloch, Sher Mohammad Baloch. My salutes to Hameed Baloch who was hanged on June 11, 1981 in a Pakistani gestapo, the infamous Muchch Jail. Exactly on the same day, 29 years later the same spirit of liberation sees two more Baloch youths Abdus Sattar Baloch and Bebarg Baloch were martyred in Khuzdar on Friday, June 11, 2010. The two martyrs were not even born when Hameed Baloch was sent to the gallows but have followed his footsteps to eternal glory.

I feel good we have not only talked the talk, but we have walked the walk. Not a day goes by when I do not remember my beloved brother Balach Marri, who too followed the path of the martyrs and blazed the trail for me and tens of thousands of Baloch men and women that if they want to see a better future for themselves and their coming generations, there is no way out but the difficult road of struggle, tears and blood. Herein lies the national salvation of the Baloch people.

I am fully aware the struggle for independence of Balochistan is not a bed of roses. It never was; it never will be. We are confronted with the world's fourth largest military, one armed with nuclear weapons,. It has a budget of $5billion per year.

Still, Pakistan is small fry; even far more powerful armies could not silence the calls for freedom.

I do not think there is any other independence struggle today that is as potent and as promising as the heroic struggle of the Baloch people against an alien occupation force. Almost with empty hands, the Baloch sarmachars or freedom fighters have given the jihadist military generals sleepless nights in the military headquarters in Rawalpindi. In spite of multiple challenges, the Baloch have successfully convinced the Punjabi colonizers that Balochistan is the land of the Baloch, so it belongs to the Baloch. I am delighted the colonizers are leaving Balochistan in the tens of thousands. That is a victory of the Baloch people.

I have two simple demands to make today here in Geneva. First, Islamabad's military generals must realize Balochistan is not theirs to keep and they must give a timetable for the pullout of Pakistani troops, paramilitary forces, military intelligence and infamous Inter-Services Intelligence sleuths from my homeland.

My second demand is to Western leaders to talk directly with Baloch leadership if they want peace in the region, including Afghanistan. This course of action is in their best interests as well as the lives of tens of thousands of their young men and women are at stake in Afghanistan. Just to let you know, Afghanistan was my home for many years.

Pakistan's military establishment had used some Pashtun tribes, including the Mehsuds and Afridis, to occupy parts of Kashmir. They are using the same ploy today in Afghanistan to defeat the international resolve to end terrorism in Afghanistan. Interestingly the chickens have come home to roost and you see Pakistan in the headlines almost every other day. As they say, you reap what you sow.

Let me reiterate the words of Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, who happens to be my father. I can co-exist with a pig, but not a Punjabi. I say this because the Pakistani occupation of Balochistan is an ugly form of Punjabi racism that we are resolved to defeat.