Tributes have flooded in for two highly educated Baloch youth, who were killed in a “battle with Pakistani security forces” in Kalat, Balochistan.
Pictures and videos of Shahdad Baloch and Ehsan Baloch, who both had earned master’s degree from one of Pakistan’s top university, have been going viral on Twitter since Saturday when the news of their death was publicised.
Shahdad Baloch and Ehsan Baloch were killed on Friday in what Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) called a “battle with Pakistani security forces and their death squads” in Kalat, Balochistan. According to sources, both had joined BLA only few months ago.
The widely known young men, due to their student activism, were highly educated ex-students of prestigious Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) Islamabad. Shahdad Baloch, after completing his master’s degree in Defence and Strategic Studies at QAU, was enrolled in M.Phil program at the National Institute of Pakistan Studies. Whereas, Ehsan Baloch had earned his master’s degree in Gender Studies from QAU Islamabad. Ehsan also had a master’s degree in English Literature from Turbat University.
Ex-colleagues, fellow students and teachers of both “brilliant students” have taken it to social media to pay glowing tributes and express condemnation on their death in thousands of Facebook and Twitter posts.
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Sadia Tasleem, a lecturer in the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at QAU, has condemned the state for its heavy-handed approach.
“Instead of ameliorating their pain by making things right for them, the state chooses to look the other way. When these people bang their heads against the wall to seek attention, the state takes it as an offense, and responds with all its might,” Sadia Tasleem said in her post.
She added, ”… what is haunting me more is our own neglect, our complacency, our carelessness in how we deal with the young, thinking, critical minds that feel victimized by the status quo,”
Talking about one of her interactions with Shahdad, Sadia Tasleem says: “Shahdad opened his wounds to me. He told me stories from his college days, the experiences that he had as a student and an activist. I could sense the heartache that came with the recollection of those stories. At some point, I feared that he might breakdown. He had tears formed around his eyes, but he managed to retain his composure. That day is carved deep in my memory. And it comes to me more often than I would want.”
In her post, she has also shed light on Shahdad’s activities in the University, “At QAU, Shahdad was involved in politics. He tried to fit in as much as he could. The first time I saw him hanging out with a girl, we both exchanged smiles. We both cherished the fact that he was finding some solace that might help heal his scars. He would often talk to me about his plans to appear in the Civil Services Examination. A Marxist at heart and an avid reader, he would talk about books that we should read. I would see in him, the hope and willingness to move forward, to take control of his life and make it better.”
At the end of her Facebook post she says, “If a young, bright mind is drifted toward BLA (knowing fully well that it is impossible to win against the tremendous power that the state possesses), all of us (who are part of the mainstream) have failed him. We failed to appreciate Shahdad enough, we failed to create a space for him that he deserved, we failed to assure him that he can and will have a dignified life as a Baloch in this country. We failed you Shahdad and no amount of regret will bring you back. I wish I could tell you how much you have always meant to me as a student but more importantly as a genuinely beautiful human soul. Writing RIP for you is painful. You will be missed.”
Similarly, Farzana Bari, renowned human rights activist and ex-Director of Centre of Excellence Gender Studies at QAU has expressed shock over the death of Ehsan Baloch. In a tweet Ms Bari says, “Shocked and devastated to hear the news of one of my bright students Ehsan Baloch from the Department of Gender Studies at QAU along with another student got killed in military operation. What choices are we leaving for our & how are we wasting their lives?”
Commenting about the incident rights activist and student leader, Arooj Aurangzaib, said in a tweet: “Two students of Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad, Shahdad Baloch & Ehsan Baloch killed in Qalat. This is why state violence is a Student and societal issue! Can’t process two more deaths for now. That is how repeated trauma works: u stop feeling. to avoid pain. u look away!”
Alia Amirali, another lecturer at Gender Studies department in QAU, in a now deleted tweet said: “In the shadow of COVID 19, state terrorism continues. Without a chance to digest the assassination of Sajid Hussain and Arif Wazir, now there is news that one of my brightest, most passionate students at QAU, Ehsan Baloch, was killed defending his people and land from occupation.”
Faiz Baluch, a political activist, tweeted: “Highly educated Baloch student Shahdad Mumtaz asked tough questions to @betterpakistan on @HamidMirPAK’s show. He was once forcibly disappeared, then beaten at QAU University & was compelled to join armed resistance.”
Award-winning human rights activist Gulalai Ismail said on Twitter: “Even before #ArifWazir was buried, Pakistan military killed two Baloch young men in Kalat, #ShahdadBaloch & #EhsanBaloch, graduates of Quaid-e-Azam University. Both were critical of the Pakistani establishment for exploitation of Balochistan’s natural resources & rights violation”
Gulalai Ismail further added: “The Pakistani state authorities are letting militants re-organise, fundraiser & recruit in Pakhtunkhwa but are target killing intelligent, educated, brave nationalist Pashtun & Baloch activists mercilessly who are raising questions& asking for putting an end to their exploitation.”
Famous Twitter user, thinker and Development Consultant, Salma Jafar said: “One year on an Mphil program in a reputable institute, raising critical & intelligent questions on a public forum, music & activism but next year enforcedly disappeared, released but this time you pick the gun. Entire story of despair &injustice in a single profile of a young Baloch man.”
Tooba Syed, a faculty member at QAU, said: “I remember Ehsan very vividly. To know that young brilliant man like him who just wanted to start a film club at the gender studies department took up arms makes me hopeless. Someone who was a student at my dept, a brilliant young mind and a deep thinker. Still processing it.”
Sohaib Baloch, an activist, said: “Three months ago he, as an MPhil Scholar, was delivering a lecture at Karachi University, yesterday he died saving his life from state sponsored death squads. That is what the lives of Baloch youth have turned into under Pakistani state.”
Jamal Baloch, another activist, tweeted: “Shahdad and Ehsan, Two young #Baloch embraced Martyrdom in Kalat, #Balochistan yesterday. Both were holding master’s degree from QAU Islamabad. Note that they were once badly beaten up by Mullas and Pakistani Intelligence in QAU Islamabad.”
Nida Kirmani, an Associate Professor at prestigious Lahore University of Management Sciences, said: “Two bright, articulate young students, Shahdad & Ehsan, pushed to the wall. Think of how hopeless they must have become. This is what the state does; it keeps pushing & when our youth see no option but to cross the line into violence, they can justify their own brutality.
Abdulla Abbas Baluch, the spokesperson of Human Rights Commission of Balochistan, said: “I came to know Shahdad from his pictures circulated in social media few years ago. He was humiliated and beaten up when he complained about discriminatory treatment towards Baloch students in Punjab. He was also a victim of torture and enforced disappearance Shahdad & Ehsan were pursuing their master’s degrees in P. Studies & Gender Studies from Quaid e Azam University Islamabad. Today, Baloch Liberation Army claimed that both had joined BLA a year ago and died in a skirmish with state sponsor death squads in Qalat Balochistan. Deeply saddened!”
Veteran Baloch activist and writer Mohammad Ali Talpur said, “We have lost two more Baloch in their prime to the #DeathSquads that hold sway in Balochistan. They loved their Land and were resisting injustices inflicted on people.”
Pashtun activist Khan Zaman Kakar said, “This is extremely painful. Rest in peace my Baloch brothers Ehsan & Shahdad. Hope we’d meet in the other world again. It was your right to live in the way you had envisioned 4 yourselves & your people. On the right denied you resisted & embraced the well-known end in Balochistan.
Scores of Baloch activists have also changed their profile pictures to those of Shahdad and Ehsan to pay tribute to the “fallen heroes”.
It is not the first time that highly educated Baloch youth have joined Baloch resistance movement. Last week another educated youth and a commander of Balochistan Liberation Front, Noor Mohammad alias Major Peerak, was killed in a skirmish with Pakistani security forces in Parom, Panjgur. Noor Mohammad was a student of King Edwards College Lahore when he was disappeared by Pakistani state agencies. After his release, he joined the Baloch resistance movement and rose to the rank of a commander.
It is believed thousands of educated young men are still part of Baloch armed struggle, scores of whom have been killed in various military operations.