Ghulam Mohammad, a philosophical and insightful leader
Author: Shaad Baloch
Revolutionary people are hard to born, stiff to be discerned but when such personalities grow up in regions where the subjugation from the occupier has reached its unimaginable level, then it depicts that the the nation is still courageous and optimistic to stand steady against every domineering method that aims to suppress a voice that has been raised.
Among those persons, an influential nationalist leader is Ghulam Mohammad Baloch from a war-torn area, Balochistan. He comes in the list of those names who endeavored to diminish the scale of atrocities that the state mechanism adopted in order to subjugate the people.
Ghulam Mohammad opened his eyes at home of a modest middle-class family, he spent his childhood in meek circumstances, worked at a tea stall after his school to earn the subsistence of the family. The aggressive hardships of life and the grave condition of the people around him made a faithful left-oriented Baloch nationalist leader out of him.
Ghulam Mohammad was one of the most persuasive, clear-headed, simpering and a fluent leader, who I always found concerned only on the aspects that revolve around Baloch identity, culture, civilization and socio-political conditions. Seeing the absurd circumstances of Baloch politics and the so-called affirmation of nationalism, endorsed him to observe the discomfort of a nation being trickily push into the Dark Age, in terms of a territory that was forcibly annexed and the long-lasting deprivation.
He had such a vision which despite coercion and the modest condition of his personal life fortified him to do more. That was a sort of quenching a thirst, he visited almost every of the areas in Balochistan, where Baloch live and conveyed his philosophy that revolves to the cause of collectivism.
If the 35-year political career of Ghulam Mohammad Baloch is explored, we find a politically ripened nationalist who nurtured regardless of the fear of detentions, physical torture in the dungeons and the toughest time of assassination of close colleagues.
Chairman Ghulam Mohammad’s political career was highly philosophical and insightful, as his prophecy was emotionally allied with the legendary politicians like Fida Baloch. They cooperatively worked on the agenda of refusing the participation in Pakistan’s parliament and campaigned for a mass mobilization movement against Pakistan’s rule.
Once Ghulam Mohammad said in a public gathering that, “the ferocious behaviour that the opponent of Baloch has adopted to totally overturn the voice of a depressed nation will never succeed because we have begun to stand firm from the day we have been ostensibly annexed. Whether that is the period of British to delineate the Baloch territory into the divided parts that today Iran and Afghanistan hold”.
On another occasion when I got a chance to attend a general lecture by him with the party comrades, an activist asked a question: “what Baloch, especially the groups who have a manifesto to assist and recreate a free Baloch society need to politically instruct its people to make them conceptually ready for the hardest time that are bound to come ahead?”
Ghulam Mohammad replied with a temperate tone, “the political activists, irrespective of their party affiliations, are sturdily required to be greatly committed because the state mechanism is going to apply every that atrocity that a oppressor does to intimidate and subjugate the people, I say our party based political activists first comprehend the mentality of people, should develop a close relationship in order to raise awareness about the vested interests of Pakistan and encourage the people to educate their children socially and culturally”.
The political philosophy which Ghulam Mohamad had, was transparently his enlightened thought and moderation, which was developed by a slow process of going through the platform of BSO and BNM. This political experience made Ghulam Mohammad an influential character among the nationalists: this charisma had a great influence, which is today missed by the Baloch/
This was surely the enduring anguish of Baloch nation, which impressively led Ghulam Mohammad become a leading distinguished character to be the voice of all, despite the uncertain circumstances of his family he went through the toughest period of his life but never left hoisting the question of liberation of Baloch nation.
The apparition which spins with a push to create a society without the discrimination of color, ethnicity, caste and religion resulted in molding a personality like that of Ghulam Mohammad.
However, today Ghulam Mohammad is physically missing but his idealistic expedition for a change is still being followed. His political charisma continues to inspire the cadres of pro-independent groups to follow the path of freedom.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Balochistan Post or any of its editors.