The Baloch Students Organization (BSO-Azad) has concluded its 24th Central Council Session, during which Zarrain Baloch was elected chairperson and Mehrdar Baloch was elected secretary general, the group said in a statement.
The three-day session, held in December and presided over by former chairperson Drapshan Baloch, was dedicated to “Martyr Kambar Chakar” and the “anonymous figures who have consistently stood firm in the Baloch national liberation struggle,” the group said.
According to BSO-Azad, the session included constitutional amendments, organizational reports, a criticism session, discussions on national and international political developments, debate on future policies and strategies, and the election of the new leadership.
Three-Day Session and Debates
The group said the first day began with an address by outgoing chairperson Drapshan Baloch, followed by the presentation of constitutional amendments. The General Secretary then delivered the organization’s biennial report to councillors.
On the second day, the council held an extended criticism session, which the organization described as a core component of its internal discipline. The statement said members emphasized that criticism was essential “to reflect upon our past and present work, identify weaknesses, and address those weaknesses that may be harmful to the organization.”
According to the statement, the practice of criticism was presented as a safeguard against ideological deviation. “Without genuine criticism, our revolutionary process and actions may be compromised,” the organization said, adding that the tradition must extend beyond BSO-Azad to the broader national movement.
Under organizational affairs, councillors discussed what the group described as the “current needs of the Baloch liberation movement” and proposed new policies and strategies. These discussions continued into the second day, before the session turned on the third day to national and international political issues and future organizational planning.
In the section on upcoming policies, BSO-Azad said its councillors formally adopted two-year programmes and organizational directives. After this, the previous central body was dissolved and the election process was initiated.
According to the organization, the Election Commission, chaired by Drapshan Baloch alongside two members, supervised the process, during which candidates submitted their nominations for leadership positions. The newly elected cabinet and central committee were announced at the end of the session.
The elected leadership includes chairperson Zarrain Baloch, secretary general Mehrdar Baloch and spokesperson Sholaan Baloch.
The group said the three-day Session concluded with an oath ceremony led by former chairperson Drapshan Baloch, followed by speeches from both outgoing and incoming leadership.
Outgoing Chairperson’s Address
In his final address, outgoing chairperson Drapshan Baloch congratulated the new leadership and urged them to work “with greater dedication than ever before” and be prepared to “sacrifice your blood and sweat in pursuit of Balochistan’s independence.”
He said BSO-Azad had shaped his political and personal development, calling the organization his “teacher, family, friends, and entire life.” He added that the group had endured “state crackdowns, opportunism and external forces” yet remained aligned with its founding ideology.
Drapshan Baloch highlighted what he described as the organization’s ideological strength, saying its cadres had preserved BSO-Azad’s “national and revolutionary character” and protected it from “non-revolutionary ideas and behaviours.”
He said the organization’s strength came from “martyred comrades” and “anonymous figures” who had contributed to the movement without seeking recognition.
He urged Baloch youth to develop discipline, ideological clarity and commitment, saying young people born in Balochistan “must be different from other youths of the world, for they are born in an occupied land,” and must direct their abilities toward the national struggle.
New Chairperson’s Address
Newly elected chairperson Zarrain Baloch congratulated the council and said leadership positions should be viewed not as titles but as “national duties” requiring commitment to the Baloch struggle.
He said the next two years should focus on strengthening BSO-Azad ideologically and structurally, adding that the organization had faced “every sort of hardness and hurdle” without abandoning its revolutionary orientation.
He added that individuals had strengthened the organization, while at times individual interests had attempted to undermine it, but said “revolutionary discipline” had allowed the organization to overcome internal challenges. “Individuals cannot be stronger or higher than institutions and national struggle,” he said.
BSO-Azad, he added, was a “national heritage” whose protection depended not only on its members but on society at large. He urged Baloch youth, whether members or not, to adopt the organization’s philosophy and channel their skills into the national movement.
“People from every field of Baloch society are urged to embrace the philosophy of BSO Azad and to fulfill their responsibilities with integrity in the national liberation struggle, so that together we succeed in re-establishing our Independent national state.”
He said the current phase of the Baloch struggle demanded greater sacrifice, discipline and clarity. “Whatever we have done in the past is little for the national struggle. We must take more tasks and more responsibility on our shoulders,” he said.
