WASHINGTON, DC: The Baloch American Congress (BAC) said the Baloch struggle for their right to self determination is ample proof they have not accepted Pakistan’s forced annexation of their homeland seventy-three years ago.
BAC released a statement on Saturday, the 73rd anniversary of the “forced annexation” of Balochistan with Pakistan. Dr Tara Chand Baloch, president of the BAC said, “Balochistan was granted independence on August 11, 1948, separately from Pakistan and India, which was agreed upon by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan.” The New York Times had reported Balochistan’s independence at the time. However, the Baloch ruler, the Khan of Kalat, was forced to sign on the instruments of accession at gun point by Pakistan army on March 27, 1948, he added.
BAC’s statement comes on 27th March, the day Baloch peoples celebrate as a black day across Balochistan every year. Dr Chand said ever since that dark day, there have been five brutal military operations to crush the will of the Baloch people.
He further stated that the fifth major military operation is still ongoing in Balochistan, is called Pakistan’s secret dirty war, which perished thousands and impacted millions. Villages and farm lands have been burned down and livestock killed. People were thrown from helicopters to create terror.
He said civilians including women and children have been indiscriminately targeted in Pakistan’s war crimes and crimes against humanity in Balochistan. Dr Chand said the irony is the slow motion genocide in Balochistan over the years has gone hand in hand with loot and plunder of their natural resources—“Billions of dollars in natural gas, gold and copper are being looted from Balochistan with no accountability while the Baloch got nothing but sorrow and miseries in return,” he said.
The BAC president said that realising they cannot defeat the Baloch people alone, Pakistan army has joined hands with China in a grand plan called China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to take over Balochistan’s natural resources and its strategic coastline.
“Balochistan means ‘land of the Baloch’ but China and Pakistan only want the land by getting rid of Baloch people,” Dr Chand said. Calling the U.S. a beacon of hope for the world, he urged the U.S. administration to adopt a comprehensive plan to help end the sufferings of Baloch people.