Author: Almas Baloch
Conscience is a long-term process that comes into existence through shaping, reshaping, arranging and rearranging the basic perceptions. It embraces various components of an idea, knowledge, experience and opinion to bring them all in a single thread. It comes out not in a single day or night, but requires a tough-time experience with consistent hard-working. People reach this level not in a jiffy, but ought to reject different dogmas and prejudices one by one that pass by. National Conscience, in the same way, paves its path gradually through the artificial blockades of bogus doctrines brought forth by opponents. Similarly, it starts from the fundamental point of view that an individual’s life and his/her necessities matter not more than the relaxation and comfort of collectivity. That person has to categorize the historical aspects of collectivism free from the virus of individualism injected by colonial system, along with the dream of future, the future of his/her nation to acquire this level. So, in this way, one moves towards a firm ideology, the ideology of nationalism. And when an individual reaches the doorsteps of this ideology, that would do anything possible to bring the nation in peace. This is what Fidayeen(self-sacrificer) Babar Nasir did in hope of peace and freedom of his nation. He too, like any historic character in a state of war went through a long process to come at this decision to sacrifice his life for hundred and thousands lives. This piece is a biographic journey of Fidayeen Babar Nasir who took an interesting journey to reach the top level of the national conscience and sacrificed his young life happily for the liberation of his nation.
The Baloch nation had no knowledge of a baby with twinkling eyes and a bright face, born on 8th January, 2002 in one of the hospitals in Karachi, would grow one day and reach at this peak of national conscience that he would sacrifice everything for it. It knew not that Nasir Ali Mirwani had a son of a shy, calm and introverted nature who would step up one day to the upstairs of immortality. It, in the same context, had been shocking for his family who read the news of his son being one of the Fidayeens (self-sacrificers) of the Gwadar attack of BLA Majeed Brigade on 20th March, 2024. But now, everyone concerned about this cause would have thought that what powerful force is behind such decisions that are being taken by young men like Babar Nasir. They would indeed think of the process by which such simple and peaceful characters are being transformed into guerrilla fighters to safeguard the national existence. So to trace the reason behind selecting such decisions and reaching the peak of the national conscience, Babar Nasir’s story of transformation is brought forth.
On 21st March, 2024, BLA releases a statement accepting the attack on the headquarters of ISI and MI in top-secured avenue of Gwadar, Balochistan. The organisation claims that more than 25 personnel of the enemy have been eliminated including Pakistani military intelligence personnel, commissioned officers, personnel of ISI, Navy and military by eight brave Fidayeen(self-sacrificers) of BLA, Majeed Brigade Unit. Among the eight Fidayeens, Babar Nasir son of Nasir Ali Mirwani of Koshk, Turbat is seen in photographs released by Hakkal Media of BLA. He is seen in a special uniform of the Majeed Brigade Unit, wrapping a yellow handkerchief on his neck, with long hair and beard and showing the sign of victory. The young man with deep almond eyes, a defined jawline with nasal bridge that broadens through eyebrows and with a twinkling smile on his lips seems confident that the purpose behind his sacrifice will meet the destination of liberated homeland one day. This confident has not come out in a short period, but has taken a long and stunning journey of 21 years. Between opening his eyes in a hospital of Karachi to closing his eyes forever in the enemy headquarter, he went through a long process, crossing different doctrines, perspectives, dogmas, opinion and rituals. And finally, he broke all the barriers and blockades into pieces and joined armed struggle in 2022.
It was the happiest moment for his family when he opens his eyes and cries for the first time in a hospital of Karachi on 8th January, 2002. The baby with bright, almond eyes looks at everything with wonder. Knowing not where he has come, he cries in hope of being consoled. His mother embraces him and makes him sleep with traditional Balochi lullabies in which bravery, courage and fighting for the nation is uttered. Indeed, that’s the very beginning of his lessons about conscience, the national conscience which grows firm when he puts his steps in adulthood.
The baby grows gradually in a secular middle-class family with his two sisters and parents in one of the very religious areas of Turbat: Koshk Malik Abad. Being the only son among siblings, he becomes the apple of his family’s eyes. So, his family admits him, along with his elder sister in one of the popular private schools of Turbat city, DELTA. They admit him in Madrissa, the religious school as well because of the religion’s influence of the area. None of a single person among his neighbors and family members ever thought that this baby would jump out of the gutter of the individualistic lifestyle one day and would neglect religious hypocrites who cry crocodile’s tears for oppressed nations, but become silent about their own nation.
The vehicle of time has no break and it never stops. As time passes, Babar comes under the influence of Pakistani-oriented, hypocritical practices of religion that bind one’s conscience. He starts bringing simplicity in his lifestyle and accompanies the Tabligi Jamayath(the group that preaches Islam) in different villages and adjacent areas.Unaware about his own nation facing colonial atrocities and oppressions from Pakistan, he, along with other fellow preachers, knocks every door to call people to join them to free themselves from the oppressions of upcoming life. Not only does he join Tabligi Jamayath, but also submits his forms for Cadet College Ormara after reaching seventh class. So, how could anyone believe that a young man of this nature would leave these practices and desires to sacrifice his life for generations to come? That’s what gives a thirst in the nation of knowing such noble heroes. And when this thirst reaches the blowing water of the national conscience, millions of Babar Nasir will stand up for the nation.
There is a small distance between the bitter and harsh reality of artificial infrastructure of life and flawed imagination. The only thing that pulls one’s legs to stop one not to jump up to one of them is individualism. This bogush doctrine not only pulls one’s legs, but also blinds one to make him/her see nothing but the distance. Anyone who has ever tried to figure out the distance and brightened his eyes to see the reality with full knowledge has been able to change not only oneself, but also the world. Babar Nasir, in this scenario, becomes one of the luckiest people to figure out the distance and see the reality of life and his responsibilities. This blossoming of the buds of national conscience occurs when he does his matriculation in Bolan School Turbat(He leaves DELTA after passing eighth class). One of his close friends says that when he reaches(this story was revealed by Babar himself before going to his final mission) in matriculation, he uses it to practice military positions with an airgun in front of the mirror. Similarly, another close companion narrates that killing of Hayat Baloch in Turbat deeply shakes him. He then says consistently to everyone close to him that the only way to defend his nation is to be a guerilla fighter and defender. Seeing the Pakistani state’s brutalities, atrocious acts, oppressions, aparthied, slavery, military operations, enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, mutilated and bullet-riddled bodies as a Baloch student in Punjab Group of Colleges, Islamabad, he finally decides to quit his educational career and join armed struggle to cure the wounds of his nation. That is the ultimate way, he thinks, to defend his nation from the brutal state and free it from colonialism.
Life becomes unbearable when the desires do not reach the destination. It makes one hurried, suspicious, and even insane when dreams say nothing. This is what Babar feels when he comes from Islamabad after doing intermediate in Punjab Group of Colleges. His dream to become a defender of his nation makes him worried, hurried and half-insane. He sees nothing brighter than the desire to be a guerilla fighter. On one occasion, he says to one of his close friends that he feels shameful to sit silently watching his nation being ruined by a cowardly enemy. But, his feeling of shamefulness vanishes when BLA recruits him finally in 2022.
Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur quotes, “the true greatness lies not in personal gain but in the relentless pursuit of justice and dignity for all.” Babar, under the shadow of such thoughts leaves his personal life and desires and takes a long and harsh way to the mountains for pursuit of freedom and dignity of his nation. He, like every newcomer, faces difficulties in patrolling on mountainous ways. Because he takes hours to reach a point, the fellow soldiers mock him and he gets multiple nicknames. But one thing that inspires him not to get disappointed and quit hard-working is his commitment and dream of being a highly-trained warrior. One of his fellow sarmachar, freedom fighter, says that in order to complete his physical and military training, he uses it to practice the morning lessons of his training master in the evening lonely. One can see him practicing Front Roll, a military movement and tactic, in one of the videos shared by a fellow fighter. Not only does he practice and patrol, but also starts changing his introverted nature. Gradually, he becomes one of the reasons for amusing his fellow soldiers with his strange and weird gestures and acts. Fellows call him, Mathan, Mithun Chakraborty for his height and style, but he bears everything with a smile. Tolerance is one of the key attributes of his personality. He bears everything to maintain and balance the friendship. Indeed, reaching this stage of conscience is hard, but after all, he is Babar Nasir.
Time passes gradually and makes him a hard-working and responsible soldier. Everyone starts noticing his unmatchable attributes in camp. But no one knows that he who seems like a glowing flame wants to be a shining star forever. Yes, he waits for being called for rendering his services to the Majeed Brigade and sacrificing his life for the cause. He, as he mentions in the last video message released by Hakkal Media of BLA, consults the commanders and requests them to let him meet his destination. Isn’t it shocking that a man who used to preach Islam and told the ways of salvation of the upcoming world’s hardships by knocking everyone’s door ,comes at a point that he decides to sacrifice his life to preach the lessons of bravery, courage and love to his own nation suffering hardships in this world? For sure, it is unbelievable, but when one sees the beauty of the motherland and meets with the national conscience, he will do anything to make his collective dreams come true. That is what, he does: ends his mortal life to convey a message that to be immortal and noble is to sacrifice for the cause. Undoubtedly, history will cover him with shining words.
Finally, acquiring national conscience requires a long and everlasting journey which is full of thorns, obstacles, hardships and barriers, but once someone becomes committed to the cause, that person paves the way and put everything aside to reach a destination. This is what Babar Nasir does after reaching at maturity level and national conscience. He rejects every bogus and fallacious ritual, practice and act that stops him to fulfill his obligation owed historically. He chooses death over life to give oxygen to this national movement. Though he could be a neutral Baloch with a luxurious lifestyle ,or he could live a simple religious , but history would have not remembered him. Now, along with his fellow self-sacrificers, he will shine forever in history to teach the lessons of real commitment and bravery to the upcoming generations. And it is for sure that he shall come back with the fragrance of freedom, peace and prosperity for the Baloch nation.
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.