The people of Balochistan have sought the intervention of US President Donald Trump to stop the atrocities committed by the Pakistani state, while also warning him about possible deception by Islamabad regarding the exploitation of the region’s natural resources. Seeking his help in realising the dream of the sovereign nation of Balochistan, they also asked him not to believe the Pakistani military, which they said was behind the oppression of peaceful and unarmed people in the region.
Mir Yar Baloch, a prominent human rights activist from Balochistan, appealed to Trump to recognise the Republic of Balochistan as a sovereign nation, which is currently under “illegal occupation” of Pakistan. “The Pakistan Army and its intelligence agency, the ISI, are not only responsible for the enforced disappearance of more than 40,000 Baloch civilians but have also long been linked to sheltering global terrorists, including Osama Bin Laden. It is time for the United States to fundamentally reevaluate its relationship with radical state of Pakistan,” he said.
Mir requested Trump to begin a dialogue between the US and the exiled, pro-independence Baloch leadership. “Establishing such engagement would align America’s long-term geopolitical and economic interests with a nation striving for justice, peace, and the democratic liberation of resource-rich Balochistan. With sincere hopes for your leadership and attention to this just cause,” he said. Baloch leaders have earlier sought support from global leaders, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Activist Waja Sohrab Baloch called Trump a courageous leader who stands up for justice and freedom, who can help Balochistan gain independence. “Pakistan’s double game in the Afghan war, coupled with its longstanding neglect of Baloch rights, has left our people yearning for autonomy,” he said. “We believe that with your support, we can achieve the freedom and self-determination that the Baloch people desire. Your voice and leadership can help bring international attention to our plight and encourage a peaceful resolution to our struggle.”
Baloch American Congress called Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif “merchants of plunder” for decades of state-led repression, economic exploitation, and human rights violations in the restive region. In the letter to Trump, the Washington DC-based group said “They have taken with them the minerals of Balochistan- our heritage, our wealth, the blood of our land – and placed them on the bargaining table.”
The letter blamed the State of Pakistan for profiteering from genocide in the region. “Mr President, I appeal to your conscience and your sense of justice: Do not allow Pakistan to trade the blood of the Baloch people for its survival. Do not let them sell our future, our wealth and our honour in the halls of power. Accepting their trade is not just a matter of minerals but of the suffering of the entire nation,” it reads.
Baloch rights activist Mahrang Baloch sought an inquiry by the United Nations into the torture and enforced disappearance of Baloch people by the Pakistani security agencies. “In Pakistan, ‘terrorist’ is a label pinned on anyone who advocates for Baloch rights. Those who speak up run the risk of arrest by military and intelligence agencies. After their arrest, they might never be seen again,” she said. “For decades, Pakistan has kept the rest of the country, and the world, in the dark about Balochistan. It remains an information black hole.”
Baloch leaders also warned Trump about false claims made by Munir about the oil and minerals in Balochistan, sending a message that they did not consider the region to a part of Pakistan. “Your recognition of the vast oil and mineral reserves in the region is indeed accurate. However, with due respect, it is imperative to inform your administration that you have been gravely misled by the Pakistani military leadership, particularly General Asim Munir,” Mir said. He used the hashtag #BalochistanIsNotPakistan in his letter to Trump. Mir said allowing the Pakistani military, which supported Al-Qaeda and was responsible for the deaths of thousands of American soldiers, to exploit Balochistan’s trillion-dollar reserves of rare earth minerals would be a grave strategic mistake. “These untapped reserves of oil, natural gas, copper, lithium, uranium, and rare earth minerals are not located within the territories of Punjab, which is the actual Pakistan. They belong to the Republic of Balochistan, a historically sovereign nation currently under illegal occupation by Pakistan,” he added.
