Mir Khan Baloch
The Baloch people of occupied Balochistan have extended a resolute hand of solidarity to India, condemning Pakistan’s relentless sponsorship of terrorism that has scarred both nations. The terrorism afflicting India, exemplified by the recent Pahalgam attack in Kashmir, mirrors the brutality endured by Balochistan for over seven decades. Pakistan’s actions, likened to a “cancer” spreading unrest across the region, have galvanized calls for its economic and diplomatic isolation. The Baloch, alongside India, are urging the world to confront Pakistan’s terrorist infrastructure head-on, advocating for a future free of its oppressive grip.
On April 22, 2025, the serene town of Pahalgam became a scene of horror when terrorists, allegedly trained by Pakistan, killed 26 tourists and injured 17 others. The attack, condemned globally as a war crime, struck at the heart of India’s tourism industry. Among the victims was a newlywed husband, gunned down before his wife of mere weeks, a tragedy that reverberated across social media. For the Baloch, this pain is all too familiar. A parallel image from Balochistan circulated online: a grieving mother beside her son, a recent graduate, shot eight times in the head by Pakistan’s forces for the sole crime of being Baloch. “Pahalgam is not just India’s wound—it is ours too,” a Baloch activist posted on X. “Pakistan thrives on chaos, whether in Kashmir or Balochistan.”
For 70 years, Balochistan has languished under Pakistan’s occupation, its vast reserves of natural gas, gold, and copper plundered to fuel Islamabad’s military ambitions. Balochistan Liberation Movement estimates suggest Pakistan has extracted trillions of dollars from the region, using the wealth to fund proxy groups responsible for attacks like Mumbai (2008), Uri (2016), Pulwama (2019), and now Pahalgam. According to local reports, nearly 100,000 unarmed Baloch have been killed, with 40,000 others abducted and tortured in Pakistani jails. “Our resources bankroll Pakistan’s terror,” a Baloch tribal elder told this correspondent. “They loot our land to kill our neighbors.”
India’s response to Pahalgam has been swift and uncompromising. By suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, slashing Pakistani embassy staff, expelling Pakistani nationals, and sealing the Wagah-Attari border, New Delhi aims to cripple Pakistan economically and expose it as a terrorist state. These measures have resonated beyond India’s borders. On X, Afghan users expressed solidarity, with one post reading, “Pahalgam’s tragedy is a call to end Pakistan’s terror. We stand with India.” The Baloch, too, have urged global leaders to emulate India, demanding that nations expel Pakistani diplomats and sever all ties with Islamabad. “Maintaining relations with Pakistan is complicity in its crimes,” a Quetta-based activist said.
In Balochistan, pro-independence voices are growing louder, proposing radical steps to dismantle Pakistan’s influence. Activists suggest India close Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi and raise the Free Balochistan Movement’s flag in its place. They advocate for India to support a Baloch government-in-exile, drawing parallels to Qatar’s role in establishing a Taliban political office before their 2021 Afghan takeover. Such a government could forge diplomatic, economic, and defense pacts with India, sidelining Pakistan entirely. “A free Balochistan would be India’s greatest ally,” a Baloch student leader declared. “Together, we can end Pakistan’s reign of terror.”
Pakistan’s recent closure of its airspace to Indian aircraft has sparked further outrage. Baloch leaders argue that Pakistan, as an occupier, lacks legal authority over Balochistan’s airspace. They urge India to challenge this occupation in international forums like the International Court of Justice, seeking recognition of Balochistan’s sovereignty. “Pakistan’s claim over our land is a colonial relic,” a Baloch elder asserted. “India must help us break these chains.”
The resistance extends to Afghanistan, where Taliban authorities have criticized Pakistan’s border policies along the disputed Durand Line, which splits Pashtun and Baloch territories. Afghan analysts propose that recognizing Balochistan’s independence could secure Kabul access to Gwadar port, alleviating trade constraints. They also suggest Afghanistan open its Bagram airbase to Indian forces for joint operations against Pakistan’s terrorist networks. “India and Afghanistan share a common foe,” an Afghan commentator posted on X. “United, we can dismantle Pakistan’s terror factories.”
Across Pakistan’s occupied regions, a coordinated rebellion is taking shape. In Sindh, activists threaten to block water supplies to Punjab, Pakistan’s economic core. Pashtunistan could cut electricity, while Balochistan vows to halt mineral exports. Analysts predict these actions could devastate Pakistan’s economy within six months. “Pakistan has looted our wealth to fund terror,” a Sindhi activist told this correspondent. “We will starve their war machine.”
India’s support for the liberation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Balochistan, Sindh, and Pashtunistan could reshape the region. By backing these movements, India could neutralize Pakistan’s terrorist capabilities and foster stability. The Baloch see India as a natural partner. “Our struggles are one,” a Baloch activist said. “India’s fight against Pakistan’s terror is our fight.”
As the world grapples with Pakistan’s aggression, the Baloch message is unequivocal: Pakistan’s terrorism must be eradicated. With 70 million Baloch standing alongside India, the call for unity, resistance, and liberation grows stronger. The path to peace lies in dismantling Pakistan’s oppressive regime and empowering its occupied nations to chart their own futures.
(Note:Mir Khan Baloch is a Baloch human rights defender, writer and journalist covering Central Asia, Middle East.)
