The Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army has claimed the responsibility of twin grenade attacks on the Pakistan Rangers’ headquarters in Shikarpur and Jacobabad, today.
In a media statement, Sodho Sindhi, the spokesperson for the organization, said that 14 August – the Independence Day for Pakistanis – is the day of “national slavery for the Sindhi nation, the day on which Punjabi imperialist occupied our land on the basis of state coercion.”
The spokesperson further said that the Sindhi nation will never accept the “Pakistani (Punjabi) occupation on our motherland.”
The statement reminded the Sindhi nation of its much-repeated caveat, saying that SRA forbids the Sindhi nation of participating in the flag marches and rallies organized by pro-Pakistani factions on 14 August.
The spokesperson paid tribute to “#ShaheedBashirKhanQureshi” and concluded that the Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army “vows to continue its resistant struggle till the complete freedom of Sindhudesh.”
Meanwhile another grenade attack in the industrial city of Hub Chowki, near Karachi, wounded six people, including the Frontier Corps’ personnel. The attack precipitated on the main RCD road in front of the Sher Ali Pump on a stall. The stall reportedly sold decorations – stickers, flags, badges – regarding 14 August.
The forces reportedly opened indiscriminate fire, further panicking the civilians and sending shockwaves of anxiety across the city.
In a recently released media statement, Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack. Jeeyand Baloch, the spokesperson for the organization, said that the “sarmachars” (armed Baloch fighters) attacked a stall selling decorations regarding the Pakistani Independence Day. He said that the attack left three Frontier Corps’ and several of their accomplices wounded.
He said that they attacked the stall only when it allegedly started selling decorations and ornaments regarding the “so-called Pakistani Independence Day” under the patronage of the Pakistani forces. He said that the stall was run by a man called Gulzaar under the protection of the Frontier Cops’ colonel.
The spokesperson further said that the Pakistani forces are compelling the inhabitants of Balochistan to celebrate the Pakistani Independence Day in various cities. If the civilians don’t comply, they are threatened of grave consequences. He said that the forces also stimulate their “hired death squads” to pressurize people into celebrating the day. By doing this, the Pakistani state wants to show the world that the Baloch nation is with her, the spokesperson said.
He said that the Baloch are indifferent to this day, which is why the Pakistani forces compel them into celebrating this day, he said. The statement further read that this indifferent and resistant stance of the Baloch is a testimony before the world that the Baloch don’t support Pakistan.
Jehand Baloch further said that by foisting its nominal Independence Day on the Baloch, the “artificial” and “fake” Pakistani state aims to tarnish their historical significance and the attenuate the struggle for freedom. He said that this is a part of the “propaganda war” of the Pakistani state, which the Baloch Liberation Army can never allow. The spokesperson concluded by warning the Baloch nation that they, BLA, will carry out such attacks on stalls and other places of decoration for the Pakistani Independence Day. Therefore, the Baloch must maintain distance from such places, he said.