Baloch people mark occupation days with #BalochistanIsNotPakistan campaign

The pro-freedom Baloch political party 'Free Balochistan Movement' held protests and awareness campaigns in Balochistan and abroad to mark the 'Balochistan Occupation Day' yesterday.

The Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) meetings, protests and awareness campaign included a seminar in Afghanistan, a demonstration in Germany and distribution of pamphlets and wall chalking in several cities of Balochistan.

Meanwhile on social media, the FBM activists and supporters used #BalochistanIsNotPakistan hash tag to highlight the alleged Pakistani state atrocities against the Baloch people since the illegal occupation of Balochistan in March, 1948.

The FBM activists held a demonstration and awareness campaign at Berlin gate in Germany. The protestors carried placards, a large banner which read 'Balochistan is not Pakistan' and pictures of the victims of Pakistani state terrorism in Balochistan.

They also distributed leaflets to the by-passers while informing the general public about the continuous indiscriminate military attacks against Baloch, human rights violations and growing enforced-disappearances and extra-judicial killings of the Baloch activists.

Fateh Jan Baloch, an activist of FBM who was also the main organizer of the demonstration in Berlin, said, "We organized the demonstration to urge the free world to take notice of Baloch genocide by Pakistan. Our aim is also to inform the free born people of the world that Pakistan illegally occupied Balochistan and forcibly annexed it against the will of Baloch nation."

He went on to say that the Baloch people have never accepted the occupation and they have been struggling to regain their freedom since 1948.

The Baloch people in Afghanistan and activists of Free Balochistan Movement also organized a seminar.

The Baloch and Afghan intellectuals, diplomats and journalists shed light on the importance of Balochistan's independence and condemned Pakistan for illegally occupying the sovereign state of Balochistan.

Baloch writer and analyst Hafeez Hasanabadi read a message of the leader of Free Balochistan Movement Hyrbyair Marri at the seminar.

Marri in his message said that on March 27, 1948, Pakistan attacked and illegally occupied the independent state of Balochistan that's why each year Baloch around the world and in Balochistan mark it as a black day in Baloch history.

He said that neighboring nations and the world were now becoming aware of Balochistan issue and Pakistan's state terrorism not only in Afghanistan and Balochistan but all over the world.

"Since the occupation of Balochistan in 1948, we (Baloch) have been struggling to regain our freedom and informing the world about Pakistan's crimes against humanity in Balochistan and in the entire region. We have, to some extent, convinced the world that Pakistan is an artificial state - not a trustworthy friend of the West. In fact it is Pakistan who breeds, trains and exports Jihadi terrorists to Western capitals to destroy the world peace," Marri's message read.

Emphasizing on the need of unity and cooperation between the Afghan and Baloch people Marri said, "Pakistan is common enemy of the Afghan and Baloch people. We should unite against Pakistan for sake of peace, prosperity and freedom of our people and our respective countries. It is our unity and cooperation that will thwart Pakistan's evil and expansionist designs in Afghanistan and Balochistan."

Other speakers included former governor of Ghaur province of Afghanistan, Dr Abdullah Haiwad, Baloch veteran intellectual Abdul Sattar Purdili Baloch, former governor Sher Khosti and others.