March 27 observed as a sad day by Baloch nationalist groups around the world, including Balochistan. Due to the global outbreak of the Corona virus, Baloch constituencies canceled their announced programs around the world but widely used social networking websites as a means of informing.
Baloch political circles state that, on 27 March 1948, Balochistan was forcefully occupied by Pakistan. Several Baloch leaders reacted to the day of Balochistan’s occupation.
Bashir Zeb Baloch, the head of an armed organization, Baloch Liberation Army, stated that the Pakistani occupation and Baloch resistance against the occupation marks 72 years today. He said that the basis of the relationship between Baloch and Pakistan is March 27, 1948, which is carved with fraud, military aggression, renege, illegal occupation and resistance.
He added that the seizure and relationship of coercion would remain as illegal after all these years as it was the first day. Baloch people should continue to resist this illegal process for their complete independence, just as they had started the first day of occupation in shape of Prince Abdul Karim Khan.
Another prominent militant and leader of Balochistan Liberation Front, Dr Allah Nazar Baloch declared March 27 as ‘Black Day’ and said that on March 27, 1948, Pakistan invaded and occupied the sovereign Baloch state by force. Since then the Baloch has been struggling to regain its independence. We celebrate this day as a day of blackness and vow to continue this struggle until the independence of our motherland.
Similarly, Gulzar Imam Baloch, the head of the Baloch Republican Army, another Baloch pro-independence militant group, said that since 27 March 1948, the Baloch national resistance movement against occupation has been undeniable and unbeatable.
He said that the Baloch resistance forces need to unite and provide more energy to the resistance.
Whereas, Balochistan’s largest pro-independence political party Baloch National Movement (BNM) launched a video Message Campaign in many countries, on 27 March.
Video messages posted by BNM Chairman Khalil Baloch, BNM Diaspora Committee Organizer Dr. Naseem Baloch, Deputy Organizer of the Diaspora Committee Hassan Dost Baloch, BNM Senior Leader and former Finance Secretary Haji Nasir Baloch, BNM-UK Zone President Hakim Wadela, BNM Greece Zone Organizer Qadeer Saagar, BNM-UK Zone General Secretary Niaz Zehir Baloch appealed to Baloch people in their messages in Baluchi and Brahui languages that they should understand the importance of Black Day of 27th March, and perform their duty by participating in this campaign.
BNM and Baloch Social Media Activists are believed to be campaigning on social media, while BSO Azad supported the campaign and people from various schools of thought are participating in the campaign with the hashtag #27MarchBlackDay.
Mehran Marri, a representative of Balochistan at the UNHRC and EU, expressed his views on this day saying ” It’s been 70+ year of occupation, but the day is not far when the cry ‘Balochistan Zindabad’ will echo!”
Not only Baloch but Sindhi nationalists and Indian tweeters are also expressing solidarity with the people of Balochistan on this occasion.
A Sindhi pro-independence group, SRA’s spokesman Sodho Sindhi said in a twitter message “Balochistan was attacked and forcibly occupied by Pakistani army on 27th March 1948; So Sindhi Nation considers it as the black day for and shows sympathy and national unity for the independence of Balochistan”.