‘Pakistan is nothing but a lie’

Qazi Dad Mohammad Rehan is a prominent Baloch political activist, journalist, and cultural advocate, currently serving as the Information and Cultural Secretary of the Baloch National Movement (BNM). His association with the BNM dates back to 2008, when he first took on the role of Information Secretary, becoming the youngest cabinet member in the party’s history. Rehan’s political journey began early, during his school days in the 7th grade, through active involvement with the Baloch Students Organization (BSO), eventually rising to the position of Deputy Organizer in Gwadar.

Parallel to his political activism, he pursued a career in journalism, contributing columns to various Urdu newspapers while still in college. In an exclusive interview with Rahul Gahlawat of The Statesman, he talked about the cultural and political discourse of the Baloch movement as well as Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK).

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Q. What are your views on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)?

A: The people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are also facing a situation similar to that of the Baloch. In Balochistan, the intensity of this repression has increased – killings and the suppression of political voices are carried out with brutality and violence. In Kashmir, Pakistan is trying to control people’s thoughts and actions through social engineering. The rights movements there are vigilant and quite active. We are observing them and have already initiated cooperation with them. However, the voice of Kashmir is still faint, or it is not reaching us clearly. There is a history of violence and killings even over minor demands in that region. When people demand flour, electricity, or employment, the Pakistani state responds with force. Pakistan has turned the Kashmir issue into an international matter, claiming that India has occupied Kashmir and is using force against the Kashmiris. But in reality, it is Pakistan that is attempting to change Kashmir’s demography. Kashmir is a region where puppet rulers are imposed on the people – rulers who take their instructions from Rawalpindi, and whichever party forms the government in Islamabad also establishes its rule in Kashmir, just like it happens in Balochistan. Here, I would like to repeat my point: India is hesitant when it comes to fully integrating Kashmir. This hesitation is a psychological effect of Partition. The mindset of the establishment that Britain left as a legacy in the subcontinent still haunts the corridors of power in India like a ghost. To overcome this ghost psychologically, India must take a clear and straightforward path. The real leadership of Kashmir – the nationalist Muslim representatives within India – can offer strong support to the Indian government. Today, the people of Kashmir on both sides understand the truth: Pakistan is nothing but a lie. Kashmiris now know what Pakistan is doing to the Baloch. India today is in a position where its leadership, through its constructive vision and the strength of Indian diversity, can drown the socalled ideology of Pakistan into the Baloch Sea. After that, there will be a journey of progress in which this region, under India’s leadership, will chase its dreams. As long as Pakistan exists, India will have to face setbacks on every front – be it economic opportunities in Balochistan or political and social relations with Bangladesh. It was Pakistan that destroyed the family of India’s ally Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rahman and derailed Bangladesh from its path. India is well aware of this.

Q. Balochistan’s strategic location, bordering Iran, Afghanistan, and the Arabian Sea, makes it a focal point for India, Pakistan, and China. How does the BNM view the role of these regional powers in the Baloch struggle for independence, and what challenges or opportunities do they present?

A: It is not only regional powers, but global powers as well that have held a deep interest in Balochistan — an interest dating back to 1947, when the British were withdrawing from our region. It must be made clear that Mr. Jinnah was merely a puppet. As our respected historian, Dr. Hameed Baloch, has noted, there is a reference to a letter from the Commonwealth Secretary of Relations for Member States. In that letter, the British High Commission in Karachi was advised that the Government of Pakistan, according to available information, intended to recognize the independence of the State of Kalat — and that such a move should be stopped. The High Commission, however, expressed its inability to act. The letter further stated: “The territory of the Khan of Kalat, bordering Persia (Iran), is not in a position to adequately fulfill international responsibilities. Lord Mountbatten had already warned the Government of Pakistan of such potential risks prior to the transfer of power. The British High Commission in Pakistan is therefore being informed so that it may communicate our position to the Government of Pakistan.” Dr. Hameed Baloch wrote that these concerns were linked to strategic interests involving the Gulf states and the oil routes that pass through this region towards the West. In essence, these power struggles date back to that very period, and today, they have evolved into a global tug-of-war over Balochistan. Our very existence is under threat. External powers view Balochistan as a noman’s land. Historically, neither our neighbouring nations nor global actors have ever truly acknowledged the dignity of the Baloch nation. The root cause has always been the land itself — land they seek to dominate. Yet what truly matters is this: the Baloch have resisted these ambitions for thousands of years, and that resistance has never ceased. We urge the world to look beyond our resources and geography — to recognize our history of resistance, our collective memory, and our national identity. Mountbatten was a short-sighted colonial officer. His plan, along with its vision, sank in the Bay of Bengal in 1971. That should have been the moment for global powers to correct the path of the remaining Pakistani state. But they chose to ignore it. Internally, Pakistan’s military never reformed its mindset. It continued to suppress nations, and the state itself became a proxy of the United States. Pakistan’s relations with China are not as deep as it claims. It seeks to ride two boats — the United States and China. Its partnership with China is based on strategic interests: Pakistan hopes to use China to increase pressure on India, while China maintains its influence over Pakistan as a junior partner. China also has its own ambitions in the region, which is why it has invested billions of dollars in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), part of its One Belt, One Road initiative. However, these investments — whether from China or others — are taking place without the consent of the Baloch nation. We face a multitude of problems: forced displacements, land grabs on our grazing lands, the capture of our water resources and marine zones. The list is long, and we are deeply dissatisfied. But we tie all of these issues to the central problem — the occupation of Balochistan — and we continue our struggle. We strongly reiterate our appeal to our neighboring countries — including India, Afghanistan, Iran, and the Gulf states — to adopt a clear and principled position in support of the Baloch nation. Balochistan must be recognized as an occupied territory, and this issue must be placed on the diplomatic agenda in their relations with Pakistan. They must ensure that Balochistan is not treated as a colony. When the time came, we stood with the Gulf states. We made sacrifices in India’s freedom struggle — our freedom fighters gave their lives in Gujarat and Sindh. Our monarch, Khan Mehrab Khan, refused to give the British a passage through our land to attack Afghanistan. In response, the British attacked Kalat, and our king was martyred along with many of his companions. In that battle, Baloch Hindus also showed remarkable courage. Though the Khan hoped to spare them from harm, they declared: “Before religion comes the homeland,” and they too gave their lives in defense of freedom. All of this was for Afghanistan — to prevent British forces from using our land as a launchpad. We risked our own independence for our neighbors. When we gave refuge to Prince Said bin Taimur of Oman, we even offered the tax revenues of our best territory, Gwadar, to help him live with dignity. But the betrayal we suffered — and the disregard shown to us today — is deeply unjust. It is a denial of historical bonds in favour of an artificial state and the interests of Pakistani Punjabis. This is a historical mistake that our neighbors continue to repeat. Yes, there are disputes between the Baloch and Iran — but the Baloch National Movement (BNM) continues to reference the deeper historical ties that go back even before the reign of Anushirvan Sasanian. We expect goodwill and brotherhood from Iran. If Iranian policymakers continue to push Balochistan into Pakistan’s grasp, the consequences will be shared by all. Our past has been linked, and our future depends on walking together, shoulder to shoulder. There is no shortage of opportunity — but what we lack is ideological clarity and the courage needed to stand up to a terrorist state like Pakistan.

Q.The CPEC, with its flagship Gwadar port, is a major Chinese investment in Balochistan. How does this project affect the Baloch struggle, and what is your understanding of China’s stance toward the Baloch independence movement?

A: I have previously addressed this issue: China is actively pursuing its own strategic and economic interests in Balochistan while deliberately ignoring the aspirations and struggle of the Baloch nation. Its collaboration with Islamabad and Rawalpindi – the occupying power in Balochistan – raises serious concerns, especially as China’s commercial motives remain unclear. A recent example is the inauguration of the new Gwadar airport, which does not align with the actual needs or capacity of the region. This prompts a critical question: who is this large-scale infrastructure really meant to serve? China has repeatedly pressed Pakistan to permit the deployment of Chinese security forces in Gwadar and along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to protect Chinese nationals and assets. This demand echoes the precedent set by the British East India Company, which used similar pretexts to establish military footholds – ultimately leading to two centuries of colonial rule over India. China appears to be following the same trajectory. Globally, China is known for overreaching – if offered a finger, it seizes the entire hand. This aggressive posture has sparked resistance worldwide and led many countries to limit their trade and security engagements with Beijing. China is increasingly seen as an expansionist power, not only threatening regional stability but pushing the world closer to conflict. Balochistan is on the frontlines of this resistance.

Q. The BNM and other Baloch groups have long accused Pakistan of human rights abuses, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Can you describe the extent of these alleged violations in the region?

A: In Balochistan, enforced disappearances and targeted killings occur on a daily basis. Our human rights organization documents these abuses every day and publishes a detailed monthly report. For decades, the Baloch nation — including political activists, poets, writers, and ordinary civilians — have been forcibly disappeared. Every method of oppression and cruelty has been used. As a form of collective punishment, the families of Baloch fighters and political activists are harassed and targeted. Thousands have been forced to migrate to Western Balochistan and Afghanistan, while many others are seeking asylum in European countries. Even in their absence, their families continue to face constant harassment. From nursing infants to elderly individuals in their nineties, people are suffering under the brutality of the Pakistani Army. These are not isolated incidents — bodies are found daily, and we use social media every day to raise awareness. The scale of this violence is such that we have no tears left to shed. Pakistan claims it is fighting a war against armed insurgency. But in reality, this armed resistance is a response to the state’s systematic oppression. At the same time, peaceful movements like the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) have also met with state repression. Their demands have always remained within the framework of human rights. Yet, we see Dr. Mahrang Baloch and several of her colleagues imprisoned under the draconian colonial-era law, Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), without any legal justification. Even the state itself does not accuse them of any crime — but simply because the authorities perceive them as a threat, they have been jailed. This law has become a cruel weapon in the hands of the Pakistani establishment. Even when courts grant bail or relief, the state often rearrests the individuals immediately. Consider the case of Pashtun leader Ali Wazir: he has been arrested multiple times, imprisoned repeatedly, and has spent years behind bars for crimes he never committed. He remains incarcerated to this day. Such systemic oppression has no parallel in any civilized society.

Q. Pakistan has claimed that India uses Afghan territory to sponsor terrorism in Balochistan. As a BNM leader, how do you respond to these allegations, and what is your view on India’s role in supporting or engaging with the Baloch cause?

A: Pakistan mentions afghanistan and Iran because it wants them to assist in suppressing the Baloch movement. To justify this, it resorts to baseless accusations. I have stated that the ties between the Baloch nation and Afghanistan existed long before the artificial creation of Pakistan. These bonds have remained unchanged regardless of who rules either side. No matter the current government in Afghanistan, the historical relationship between Afghans and Baloch endures. When Afghans face hardship, they come to Balochistan, considering it their second home. Likewise, the Baloch never see Afghanistan as a foreign land. However, the allegations of “support” that Pakistan levels against these countries are unfounded. We expect clear and open diplomatic support from Afghanistan, India, and other nations – just as Pakistan receives backing from its allies. Pakistan demands assistance on Kashmir based on questionable claims, even establishing a parliamentary committee for Kashmir. If support can be extended for Palestine, then why should it not be extended to Balochistan? Such support must be given confidently and without any need for apology