Author: Haroon Baloch
Only those people reach the destination who have faith in the real mean of struggle and prefer to stick to their ideology at every instance possible. In 399 BC one of the greatest philosophers of all time, Socrates was sentenced to death. Socrates is considered as one of the most influential characters of all time because of his bravery and the choice he made while confronting the death.
Socrates was the man who stood up for what he believed in. He was offered a chance to live, but he chose death instead. The jury gave him the opportunity to suggest his own punishment for his crimes against the city-state of Athens, the crimes he made were the truths he told to the people, he could choose life in exile, he could negotiate with the ruler of the time but he was steadfast, many of his friends and colleges had suggested him to flee Athens but he stood by the truth and Socrates bravely drank the cup of poison hemlock. If he had fled he could never make history that we know now.
The people in the world who have made history are the ones who have stood on what they believed and practically become part of the struggle. Recently I went through the shocking news of the martyrdom of two great heroes of Balochistan. Shahdad, a Marxist, who since a young age had been struggling to play his part in the struggle to regain the independence of Balochistan. Along with him Ehsan Baloch also embraced martyrdom in the battle against the Pakistani forces and the local death squad sponsored by the same army.
Ehsan Baloch became part of the Baloch struggle in 2010. In the beginning he worked at the platform of BSO Azad and then went to Punjab to continue his studies. His education was all about to be a better fighter in the battlefield while Baloch insurgency is no more a tribal war but an educated mean of struggle against the barbaric occupation of Pakistani forces. In Islamabad along with his study, he tried to make the Baloch youth aware of the freedom struggle and the state extreme measures to counter the Baloch struggle. During his political life, he became popular among the youth and a voice of Baloch students living and studying in Islamabad.
Ehsan was a very sensitive and committed activist among Baloch freedom activists. Ehsan was well aware of the consequences of being part of the great struggle of freedom but intelligently chose this path to regain the independence of his motherland, which is under Pakistani occupation. It is a great loss for Baloch struggle losing such a committed, educated and intelligent freedom fighter very soon, but Baloch insurgency is full of such committed and educated youth who have chosen the faith to struggle at every instance for the freedom of the nation.
Ehsan as a student had received his master’s degree in English literature. Recently he was enrolled in Gender studies program at the QAU in Islamabad. He participated in the student politics at the platform of Baloch council, educated the youth and struggled for the rights of Baloch students in Punjab. Ehsan’s decision of joining the national force to fight the Pakistan armed forces wasn’t the result of the behaviour of Pakistani police in Punjab or the oppressed behaviour of state in the educational institutions but he was well aware of that the freedom from Pakistan is only possible by becoming part of Baloch armed struggle. He continued his study to understand the scientific means of struggle and he would be able to make his gun more powerful as he was well aware of the education’s importance in the revolution.
Those who are emotionally calling the armed struggle of Ehsan Baloch as a result of the state behaviour in the educational institutions are doing insult to of his intellectual decision of joining the Baloch national armed struggle against the barbaric state of Pakistan.
The second hero of the war Shahdad alias Durra became part of the struggle in the platform of BSO Azad. He had joined BSO Azad 10 years back in 2010, he was considered one of the most active members of BSO Azad. Soon, in 2012 he became the deputy organiser of BSO Azad Turbat zone. Encouraging the youth to join the freedom struggle he worked tirelessly to bring awareness among the youth regarding the freedom struggle against the barbaric state of Pakistan. He was among the most committed members of BSO Azad who had not stopped his work after facing so many life threats while his so many colleagues were kidnapped by Pakistan forces and so many returned in the form of dead bodies on the roadsides.
But he still did not stop his work and continued his struggle for the freedom of motherland, looking his great efforts in encouraging the Baloch youth to join Baloch struggle the Pakistan agencies abducted him in 2015 from his hometown in Turbat, he was brutally tortured by the intelligence agents for being the part of the struggle, after many months of barbaric torture he was later released. He then he went to Islamabad for further continue his education, but his education was not for a job but to be more educated to strengthen his commitment to Baloch struggle and do more for the independence movement.
Shahdad did is Mphil in defence and strategic studies from Pakistan’s top rank the university called QAU. After completing his education he went to join the armed struggle through the platform of Baloch Liberation Army. Their committed struggle ended with the martyrdom. They fought because both of them were well aware that achieving independence from Pakistan is only possible through armed struggle. This is the only option left for Baloch youth and nation to regain their lost 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.