Dr Allah Nazar Baloch, the chief of the Balochistan Liberation Front, has said that what he described as the Pakistani state’s campaign against Baloch intellectual and political consciousness reflects growing concern over the expansion of the Baloch national movement.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Dr Allah Nazar criticised Sarfraz Bugti over his recent remarks concerning Baloch academics, researchers, professors and poets, alleging that such statements represent the broader policies and intentions of the Pakistani military establishment.
Referring to the 1971 Bangladesh war, he claimed Pakistan had previously pursued similar policies against Bengali intellectuals and academics during the conflict that led to the creation of Bangladesh.
According to the statement, the killing of Bengali scholars and intellectuals did not prevent Bangladesh’s independence, which he described as having been achieved through public resistance and sacrifice.
Dr Allah Nazar further argued that portraying Baloch scholars, PhD researchers, professors and poets as threats to the state indicates what he described as the growing spread of national and political consciousness within Baloch society.
He claimed that increasing political awareness among the Baloch population has strengthened public association with the Baloch independence movement and widened what he termed the gap between the state’s narrative and Baloch society.
“A politically conscious nation is always better able to decide its future,” the statement said, adding that the state and its “proxy representatives” were allegedly attempting to target educated and politically aware sections of society out of fear of rising nationalist sentiment.
The BLF leader also referred to recent incidents involving Baloch intellectuals and writers, including the killing of writer and poet Professor Ghamkhwar Hayat Baloch and the reported enforced disappearance of Baloch poet Habiba Peer Jan.
He alleged that such incidents indicate an organised effort to suppress intellectual and literary voices in Balochistan.
The statement further accused Pakistani authorities of pursuing what it described as a broader policy aimed at suppressing dissent, political consciousness, intellectual freedom and resistance voices in the region.
Dr Allah Nazar maintained, however, that such measures would ultimately strengthen rather than weaken the Baloch movement, arguing that nationalist intellectuals and writers would continue to play a role in shaping and sustaining the movement’s political direction.
Pakistani authorities had not publicly responded to the statement at the time of publication.