The Forgotten Republic: Balochistan’s Fight for Freedom and the Silence of the World

A Land Suppressed, a People Disappeared

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and most resource-rich province, has for decades witnessed an unsettling contradiction. Mineral wealth is extracted at gunpoint. Meanwhile, its people disappear without a trace. Pakistan’s intelligence services often carry out enforced disappearances. These services include the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI). The practice has become so normalized that young men vanish from homes, checkpoints, and university campuses. There is no legal recourse or public accountability for these acts.

Thousands have gone missing since the early 2000s. This information is reported by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Baloch human rights organizations. Mass graves were uncovered in Khuzdar in 2014. Other graves were found in Dera Bugti in 2021. They testify to a silent war against those who dare speak. Mothers and sisters, like those in the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons movement, continue to hold daily protests. These protests occur outside press clubs and UN offices. They are often ignored by the very institutions meant to uphold human dignity.

This suppression is not accidental. It is a systematic effort to erase political dissent. It aims to destroy any possibility of autonomous Baloch leadership. For the Pakistani state, Balochistan is a colony within its own borders. It serves as a source of gas, coal, and strategic access. However, it is never allowed self-governance.

Critics often cite incidents like the 2025 Jaffar Express hijacking. They use this to argue that an independent Balochistan would hand power to violent factions. It’s a valid concern—but only part of the picture. The truth is, armed resistance in Balochistan has emerged less from ideology than from suffocation. When peaceful avenues are blocked, people will push back. Students vanish from campuses. Activists are jailed without charge. Entire villages are punished for a single act of defiance. Groups like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) have turned to sabotage. Yes, but their targets are deliberate. They attack pipelines, military convoys, and infrastructure tied to Pakistan’s control over Baloch resources. These are not random acts of terror—they are political signals. That doesn’t make them just, and it certainly doesn’t make them democratic. But it does make them understandable in a context where justice is absent and dialogue is a dead end. Supporting Baloch independence does not mean endorsing armed struggle. Instead, it means asking how long a people can be denied their voice. Eventually, they may choose to make themselves heard by force. The real question isn’t whether violence exists under occupation; it’s whether it could finally end under freedom. A sovereign, rights-based Balochistan—if built with care—could do what Pakistan has refused to: offer dignity, governance, and peace. In that future, the relevance of the gun would fade, not grow.

Voices of Defiance: Dr. Allah Nazar and Mahrang Baloch

Amidst this repression, individuals have emerged whose very lives are acts of rebellion. Dr. Allah Nazar Baloch, a physician-turned-guerrilla commander, has remained the most visible face of the armed resistance. Despite numerous reports of his death—often circulated by the Pakistani military—he has reappeared time and again, the latest being in a 2025 video declaring that the Baloch struggle is far from over. Filmed in the mountains of Awaran, the video was a rallying cry for both armed fighters and civilians resisting state terror.

While reports from regional media and human rights organizations confirm that some factions within the Baloch insurgency have threatened schools and been linked to attacks on journalists—actions that fit the definition of terrorism—it is important to note that Dr. Allah Nazar Baloch, the leader of the Baloch Liberation Front, has not been directly implicated in these violent acts. Given the complex nature of the conflict and the well-documented use of disinformation by intelligence agencies in the region, it is plausible that efforts to associate him personally with such attacks are part of a broader campaign to defame him and weaken the legitimacy of the Baloch independence movement. This is further compounded by Dr. Allah Nazar’s own personal losses in the conflict, including the killing of close family members. Therefore, while the violence against civilians and journalists must be condemned unequivocally, accusations against him specifically should be treated with caution and understood within the wider context of political struggle and information warfare in Balochistan.

Another towering figure is Dr. Mahrang Baloch, daughter of the disappeared Dr. Deen Mohammad Baloch. A medical doctor and activist, Mahrang became a national and international figure when she led a weeks-long sit-in in Quetta and Islamabad demanding justice and the recovery of missing persons. Her refusal to back down in front of riot police, court orders, and threats epitomizes a new generation of civil disobedience in Balochistan—firm, articulate, and relentless.

It’s important to clarify that there is no documented link between the peaceful civil resistance led by Mahrang Baloch and the armed activities associated with groups like the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF). Mahrang’s movement, through nonviolent protests and human rights advocacy, has gained considerable international support from respected organizations such as Amnesty International, UN human rights experts, ProtectDefenders.eu, and public figures like Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg. This contrasts with Dr. Allah Nazar and the BLF, who have not received similar international backing. Additionally, it’s worth noting that the BLA, which is distinct from the BLF, has reportedly sought support from India but has not received an official response. Together, these two strands—armed and civil—define the complex nature of Baloch resistance: one operating covertly in the mountains, the other openly challenging power through peaceful means. Both reject Pakistan’s occupation, but their methods and international recognition differ significantly.

A Declaration of Freedom: Mir Yar Baloch’s 2025 Proclamation

In a bold and unprecedented move, Mir Yar Baloch made a historic announcement. He is a scion of the Kalat princely lineage and a political activist. And he declared Balochistan’s independence in early 2025. Issued from exile in Geneva, the declaration was not merely symbolic; it came with the establishment of a Provisional Government of Free Balochistan and a call for international recognition.

Mir Yar, citing the 1948 illegal annexation of Kalat State by Pakistan and the UN’s failure to intervene, emphasized that Balochistan had never legally acceded to Pakistan. His speech recalled the broken promises made by Jinnah to the Khan of Kalat and the brutal military operations that followed. He invoked international law, referencing both the UN Charter and the right of colonized peoples to self-determination.

What made the proclamation significant was its timing. It arrived amidst growing discontent across South Asia, a fractured global order, and increasing scrutiny of Pakistan’s internal crises. The declaration struck a chord among Baloch in exile and inside the province, though Pakistani media was quick to label it treasonous and seditious.

India’s Calculated Silence and Regional Stakes

India has long viewed Balochistan as strategically important, both for security and geopolitical balance. In 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech mentioning the plight of Baloch people marked a rare shift in public posture. However, since then, India’s official position has reverted to quiet observation, despite increasing evidence of Pakistani atrocities.

This calculated silence, while diplomatically understandable, undermines India’s moral high ground. Balochistan offers not just a chance to confront Pakistan’s duplicity but to realign regional politics based on human rights and anti-colonial values. India, which harbors its own scars from colonial rule, must not appear indifferent to a neighboring people demanding freedom from internal colonization.

Moreover, India’s refusal to engage Baloch exiled leaders at a diplomatic level forfeits an opportunity to shape the narrative, build coalitions, and spotlight Pakistan’s contradictions at global forums.

A Global Community Missing in Action

Liberal democracies—so quick to condemn authoritarianism in familiar enemy states—have remained conspicuously mute on Balochistan. The United States, while vocal about Uyghurs in China or dissidents in Iran, has largely ignored the torture chambers and military curfews that mark daily life in Turbat, Gwadar, and Kech.

The EU, which prides itself on championing human rights, continues to prioritize security cooperation with Pakistan over accountability. The UN, despite numerous pleas from Baloch organizations, has failed to send independent observers or open a formal investigation into mass disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

Even NGOs have found Balochistan difficult terrain. Journalists are barred. Aid organizations face harassment. Local activists are assassinated. Balochistan is thus one of the most underreported human rights catastrophes in the world—silenced not only by Pakistan, but by global indifference.

Conclusion: Listening to the Echoes of a Silenced Nation

What is unfolding in Balochistan is not merely a domestic rebellion. It is a historic reckoning with an unfulfilled promise of decolonization. From the annexation of Kalat to today’s declaration by Mir Yar Baloch, the arc of this struggle has bent not toward submission but toward a renewed claim of sovereignty.

Dr. Allah Nazar’s defiance in the mountains, Mahrang Baloch’s marches through courtrooms and city squares, and the diplomatic assertion by Mir Yar together reveal a nation unbroken, a people enduring. The world cannot feign ignorance anymore.

Balochistan does not ask for pity. It demands recognition. And for those who champion democracy and justice globally, this demand is not just legitimate—it is long overdue. The question is whether the world is brave enough to listen.

While some individuals within the Baloch diaspora may hold conservative views, it is important to recognize that Baloch society overall embraces a complex blend of traditional and modern values, making it more liberal and inclusive than often portrayed. Historically, Baloch culture has allowed women meaningful roles—not only within family and community structures but also in tribal decision-making processes. At the same time, many activists and organizations in Balochistan today are pushing for greater gender equality and social reforms. For example, prominent figures like Mahrang Baloch advocate strongly for women’s rights, receiving support from international human rights groups. Women in Balochistan have played leading roles in peaceful protests, education initiatives, and political activism, challenging stereotypes of repression.

Groups such as the Baloch Students Organization (BSO) and various women’s collectives actively campaign for girls’ education and legal protections, illustrating an evolving social landscape. This coexistence of respect for cultural traditions alongside progressive efforts demonstrates that the Baloch independence movement is fundamentally driven by demands for justice, autonomy, and human rights—not religious radicalism. Overall, Baloch society is diverse and dynamic, increasingly embracing inclusivity and modern values while preserving its cultural identity.