Senior Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, has said that Baloch grievances have reached the point where anti-Pakistan slogans are now openly being raised in Baloch areas.
He told members of Pakistan’s National Assembly Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting that in Baloch areas, the Pakistani national flag is no longer hoisted in schools, and locals have instead adopted their own anthem.
“After the killing of Akbar Bugti, Baloch youth took to the mountains,” Haideri said, adding, “Since then, the grievances of the people have not subsided.”
He made the comments on Thursday as lawmakers discussed the security and political situation in the region.
Haideri added that Baloch activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch has brought the issues of the Baloch people to the forefront, stating, “She has touched a sensitive nerve of the people.”
He also questioned why people in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa felt increasingly alienated, suggesting that the issue of enforced disappearances was a critical factor.
“People’s legitimate grievances must be heard,” he said. “If it has already been decided that Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should be separated from the state, then let things continue as they are.”
Haideri warned that Balochistan’s unrest should not be seen solely through the lens of Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s activism, but rather in the broader historical context dating back to 1958.
He recalled how, in the 1970 elections, several Baloch leaders had put aside their grievances to participate in the political process, which resulted in Sardar Ataullah Mengal becoming Chief Minister of Balochistan and Mufti Mehmood taking charge in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
However, he criticized the federal government for what he called the unjust removal of Ataullah Mengal’s government under the pretext of an alleged weapons smuggling operation from Iraq.
“If we want to solve Balochistan’s issues, we must address the historical injustices that have fueled this discontent,” he added.