Asia

As Pakistan Celebrates Independence, Balochistan Solidarity Day Goes Viral on Twitter

New Delhi (Sputnik): While Pakistan is celebrating its independence day, the people of Balochistan have found major support from Indians on social media in their bid to highlight alleged mistreatment by the Pakistan army.
Sputnik

Free Balochistan and Balochistan Solidarity Day were among top Twitter trends globally with thousands of people expressing their solidarity with the Baloch people.

Organisations like the Baloch Republican Party (BRP), Balochistan National Movement (Zrombesh), Balochistan People's Party, Nation without States, have been calling for independence from Pakistan which they claim has occupied the territory since 1948.

The Baloch people say they gained independence from the British on 11 August 1947. This claim has been disputed by Pakistani leadership which describes Balochistan as comprising of four provinces; Makran, LasBela, Kharan and Kalat.

A member of the Free Balochistan Movement, which organised a seminar in London to mark Baloch Independence Day on Tuesday, claimed the region was never part of Pakistan.

​FREE BALOCHISTAN FROM THE TYRANNY OF PAKISTAN’S TERROR FUNDING REGIME. STOP KIDNAPPING AND ABUSING THEIR WOMEN. DOWN WITH ISI AND IMRAN KHAN.

​India's leading strategic thinker and commentator Brahma Chellaney said: "Balochistan, Pakistan’s Achilles heel, is becoming the new East Pakistan because of military killings and mass graves."

​Some netizens said the reason for supporting Baloch is the age-old saying that suggests: if you stay silent in the face of injustice towards your neighbour, you will be next.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the Imran Khan-led government is stressing that it has undertaken several social sector initiatives as promised in election manifestos last year. Khan vowed to empower the Balochistan government to launch and champion large-scale efforts for political reconciliation.

In particular, Khan mentioned significant local participation and stakes in developmental projects, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, especially in Gwadar.

Nevertheless, a segment of Pakistanis has lambasted Indians for supporting the movement in Balochistan even though the region is not a disputed territory.

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