Baloch separatist leader Mir Yar Baloch has called on the world to recognise the “Republic of Balochistan” as an independent country, as supporters have declared August 11 as Balochistan ‘Independence Day’.
The message was in strong language against Islamabad and said Pakistan is “cancer-like” and called for continued international support for the Baloch independence campaign.
However, the assertions of the separatist leader are not recognised by Pakistan or the international community. Balochistan is still internationally recognised as a province of Pakistan.
Call for International Recognition
The group also appealed to countries and international organisations to support its bid for recognition in the “Message of Independence of the Republic of Balochistan” in a statement.
The appeal was directed towards United Nations member states as well as to other international organisations such as ASEAN, the African Union and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The group also called on European countries to support it.
The statement claimed that Balochistan declared independence on August 11, 1947, shortly before the partition of British India. Baloch nationalist groups have historically attached significance to this date and observe it as their Independence Day.
The new message said that the movement’s focus now moved beyond simply declaring independence and was to gain international recognition for its political claim.
Praise for Indian Media
The Baloch group also thanked international media organisations, in particular Indian media outlets, researchers, think tanks and other groups that it said had brought greater attention to the Balochistan issue.
International coverage has helped to increase awareness of the political and security situation in the region, he said.
Balochistan has long been a sensitive geopolitical issue between India and Pakistan, with New Delhi and Islamabad seemingly at odds with one another on some important regional issues.
Allegations of Security Restrictions
The statement also claimed that Pakistani authorities had taken security measures to prevent supporters from holding Independence Day events.
The group claimed mobile and internet services had been restricted in some parts of Balochistan. It also claimed trenches had been built around military cantonments and police stations in Kalat, Quetta and Khuzdar.
It also claimed that Pakistani military aircraft, drones and helicopters were carrying out surveillance operations throughout parts of the region.
These allegations could not be independently verified.
The group reported that supporters managed to organise Independence Day activities in different regions. Communication restrictions had affected the speed at which photographs, videos and other reports could emerge from the region, it said.
Long-Running Conflict
Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by geography and has a wealth of natural resources. The area has experienced a long-running insurgency by separatist and militant groups.
Baloch nationalist groups have accused Pakistani authorities of political repression, enforced disappearances and human rights violations, while Pakistan has rejected separatist demands and described armed groups operating in the province as security threats.
The competing narratives have made Balochistan a major political and security issue in South Asia.
For now the declaration of an independent “Republic of Balochistan” is a claim by separatists and supporters, and not an internationally recognized change in the status of the region.
But this latest Independence Day message is a step-by-step approach from Baloch separatists to their campaigns for international recognition and the world diplomatic platform.
