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Prominent Baloch leader Mehran Marri has condemned Pakistan's intensified military operations in Balochistan, linking the Baloch Liberation Army's recent attack on the Jaffar Express and the Noshki bomb blast to ongoing repression in the region.
Marri accused the Pakistani establishment of escalating atrocities, citing the recent forced disappearances of over 60 Baloch students from universities across Punjab and Sindh. "This is just a sequence of events. The Pakistani army has escalated its atrocities in Balochistan," he stated, arguing that the latest phase of the Baloch independence movement, which began between 2000 and 2005, has intensified due to systematic oppression. He also criticised the treatment of peaceful protestors, including human rights advocate Mahrang Baloch. "She was treated like a criminal by the Pakistani media, despite being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. This shows the contradiction in how the world views Balochistan and how Pakistan's ISPR (Inter-Services Public Relations) manipulates narratives," he remarked. Amidst these tensions, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) recently carried out a high-profile attack on the Jaffar Express, followed by a bomb blast in Balochistan's Noshki district, resulting in casualties among Pakistani security forces. The attacks mark a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict in the region. Marri pointed to Pakistani journalist Mansoor Ali Khan's claims that Baloch fighters launched 57 attacks on the Pakistani military. "His words, not ours--57 attacks, yet he reports only 12 injured and six dead. The numbers don't add up," Marri said, questioning Pakistan's transparency regarding insurgent activity. He dismissed the possibility of negotiations between Pakistan and Baloch separatists, arguing that the country was created for specific geopolitical purposes and has outlived its relevance. "Pakistan, we must not forget, is an acronym coined by the British. It had a purpose, and that purpose has long since expired," he asserted, adding that the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan has left Pakistan without strategic significance. Marri accused the Pakistani military of disregarding reports from international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. "The Pakistani army has paid no heed to these reports. Instead, they dismiss them as propaganda--first blaming India, then the Jewish world, and finally the American lobby," he said. "Many of Pakistan's international backers have backed off. The Americans gave up because Pakistan is not a reliable partner for anyone," he claimed. Marri was unequivocal in his assertion that the Baloch people would not settle for anything less than full independence. "We have been cheated, lied to, and treated as inferior for too long. There is too much bad blood. The Baloch nation will not accept anything less than independence," he declared. The situation in Balochistan remains volatile as tensions between rights groups and the Pakistani military continue to escalate. (ANI)
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