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British journalist and political writer Dan Glazebrook convened an event in Oxford on 7 December 2025 to discuss contemporary national liberation movements, bringing together scholars, activists, and students for an international dialogue on struggles for self-determination. The Baloch Advocacy and Studies Center (BASC) was invited to contribute to the discussion with a particular focus on the Baloch national liberation movement, including the armed struggle of the Baloch people.
Khurshid Ahmed, Director of Research at BASC, participated as a key speaker. The programme, held in Oxford city, was attended by academics, students, and political and social activists, marking the first international public discussion in Oxford focused specifically on the armed national liberation struggle of the Baloch people. The event opened with a screening of Concerning Violence: Frantz Fanon's Guide to National Liberation, a documentary inspired by Frantz Fanon's seminal work on decolonisation. The film set the intellectual foundation for the second session, which featured a panel discussion on modern movements for national liberation. The panel was moderated by Dan Glazebrook and featured Dr Khurshid Ahmed, George Shire, a Pan-African scholar and veteran of the Zimbabwean liberation struggle, and Sam, an activist from West Papua. During his presentation, Dr Khurshid Ahmed spoke in detail about Balochistan and the ongoing national liberation movement aimed at the complete decolonisation of the region. He outlined the historical injustices and political conditions that have driven the Baloch people towards armed resistance. Dr Khurshid Ahmed noted that despite sustained efforts by the Baloch to pursue peaceful and political solutions, the Pakistani state, particularly its military, has repeatedly responded with repression and force, effectively closing off democratic avenues and compelling the movement to organise and strengthen its armed resistance. George Shire provided an in-depth analysis of Frantz Fanon's philosophy of revolutionary violence, emphasising that Fanon's work must be understood beyond simplistic interpretations. He argued that, within anti-colonial contexts, violence is not only a means of liberation from oppression and inequality but also a process through which the coloniser is forced to confront, and ultimately dismantle, the structures of domination they uphold. Sam, the activist from West Papua, urged the audience to extend international solidarity to the people of Balochistan, West Papua, and other oppressed nations struggling for freedom. He stressed the shared experiences of colonisation, militarisation, and denial of self-determination faced by these peoples. The session concluded with a question-and-answer segment. In response to a question from a participant from Pakistan on how liberal intellectuals could help internationalise the Baloch issue, Dr Khurshid Ahmed reiterated that the Baloch people have long sought political and constitutional remedies for their grievances. However, he stated that the Pakistani state's persistent reliance on military force has left armed resistance as the only remaining path for many, following the systematic suppression of political dialogue. The event marked a significant and unprecedented moment, being the first occasion on which the armed national liberation struggle of the Baloch people was discussed openly before an international audience in Oxford, contributing to broader debates on decolonisation, resistance, and global solidarity. (ANI)
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