Collective Pursuit: Striving for Independence and Justice in the Region – Speech by BNM Chairman Dr. Naseem Baloch at PTM Conference
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I extend my sincere gratitude to the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) for extending an invitation to represent the Baloch resistance and the Baloch National Movement for Independence at this crucial conference.
The regions of Baloch, Pashtun, Sindhi, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan find themselves immersed in turmoil, where violations of human dignity and rights have sadly become commonplace. The Pakistani army and its secret agencies perpetrate mass massacres, forcibly disappearing thousands of individuals in front of helpless witnesses. These victims endure inhumane torture in Pakistan’s torture cells, resulting in numerous custodial deaths. Their bodies are callously disposed of in forests, deserts, or by roadsides, or worse, killed in staged encounters.
For two long decades, our people have suffered in the clutches of the army, leaving their families in perpetual agony. The Baloch, Pashtun, Sindhi, and Kashmiri nations all face unspeakable atrocities. In response, our mothers and sisters have bravely embarked on a long march, a peaceful protest against the ongoing Baloch genocide that has persisted for two decades. Pakistan, in its relentless pursuit to silence any voice raised for truth, employs violence, imprisonment, and killing. Here, also the participants of the long march when were imprisoned on reaching Islamabad, and forced to go back to Quetta.
Today, the veil of state oppression has been lifted as people courageously defy the fear of militarism, raising their voices collectively from cities to rural areas, plains to mountain ranges—a testament to our collective success and the defeat of our oppressors.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As educated individuals, let us realistically assess our capacity to halt further bloodshed, curb human rights abuses, or compel the withdrawal of enemy troops to the barracks. Regrettably, the reality is harsh—we, as enslaved and colonized people, cannot fully achieve these goals through advocacy alone. While raising our voices may mitigate/reduce some atrocities, but complete eradication remains elusive. We are not free; we are subjugated, and our status can never be equal to that of our oppressors.
In this modern world, it is unfathomable/unacceptable for people to tolerate such atrocities against fellow human beings. We understand this reality intimately, as we are living through it. I have personally endured enforced disappearance twice, subjected to the most severe torture. This firsthand experience enables me to comprehend the atrocities inflicted by the Pakistani army on our people.
Acknowledging our enslaved position is the first step. Until we accept this harsh reality, we risk dwelling in the delusions of self-satisfaction while Pakistan continues to play with our human dignity, national survival, and identity.
Some may hope for a change—a revolutionary leadership, a new development agreement, but I find it impossible. Pakistan is not a nation-state born out of historical or cultural evolution; rather, it emerged from the partition of United India, leading to the historical destruction of the Baloch, Pashtun, Sindhi, and Kashmiri nations. Our true problem is not just human rights but national freedom. Until we achieve independence, human rights abuses, including enforced disappearances, will persist.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Expecting justice within the Pakistani framework is a waste of time. The Baloch nation is resolute in its decision and path—freedom from Pakistan, even though we pay a heavy price for it. We harbour no illusions of justice within Pakistan’s framework; it only exacerbates our problems. We must unite for our national survival with unwavering resolve.
The Baloch National Movement is open to a joint struggle with all subjugated nations. Our common enemy seeks to obliterate our national existence, and as oppressed nations, our unity can be a powerful force, allowing us to share our pain and problems. Together, our collective unity against this common enemy will ease our journey and intensify the challenges faced by our oppressors. Let us move forward, holding each other’s hands.
Together, we become a formidable force that transcends borders and boundaries. Let our solidarity serve as a beacon of hope for a future where justice prevails, human rights are upheld, and the right to liberty and freedom is respected.
Thank you.
