A Baloch reproach: How Pakistan lies about India and Balochistan

India Today

4 days ago

On May 23, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, held a press briefing alongside Interior Secretary Khurram Muhammad Agha in Islamabad. There, Chaudhry spoke about how the Pakistani military was a responsible force, how it was accountable to the people of the country, the freedom of expression the media allegedly enjoyed in Pakistan, and how the country respected the rights of religious minorities. He also claimed that Pakistan was a democratic state.advertisementThese remarks were aimed at convincing the public that Pakistan is better than its neighbour, India. As Chaudhry said, India controls its media, detains journalists, targets activists, and denies religious freedom to minorities.Lies galoreThese statements are not only far from the truth but can easily be debunked by simply searching for 'how minorities are treated in Pakistan' on the internet. Pakistan has a sordid history of persecuting Ahmadis, burning down their places of worship, denying them dignity, and casting them out of society. Christians are treated even worse. The only jobs available to them often involve manual labour, such as cleaning gutters or working as toilet attendants. They are not seen as equals and are often not even regarded as human. Many are forced to live in small huts on the outskirts of cities, unable to live among the Muslim majority.advertisement
The country is also notorious for abducting and forcibly marrying underage Hindu girls, forcing them to convert to Islam. Those responsible for such crimes are often protected by the state. If the victims' families speak out, they are punished for allegedly tarnishing Pakistan's image. The killings of Shias and Hazaras are yet more examples of how the Pakistani state treats religious minorities within its borders.The sweeping claims about freedom of expression and the press in Pakistan compared to India are not only false but also an attempt by the Pakistani military to create a false narrative and distract from its crimes and acts of terrorism. In Pakistan, the media is only free when it serves the interests of the military and the ruling elite.Journalists who report on the brutalities committed by the Pakistani forces or who speak about the persecution of Baloch, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Muhajirs, Kashmiris, Ahmadis, Shias, Christians, and Hindus are targeted, and the news organisations they work for are often banned or forced to conform. Many journalists have faced persecution for their work, and many remain behind bars. On May 24, a Baloch journalist was targeted and killed by Pakistani forces in the Awaran district of Balochistan, further demonstrating the so-called freedom of the press in Pakistan.advertisementThe press briefing was filled with lies and misinformation. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry blamed India for the situation in Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan, citing the attack in Khuzdar on May 21 as an example. Without providing any concrete evidence, the spokesman for the Pakistani Armed Forces relied on social media posts and news reports, stating that because Indian media reported the attack, India must have been involved in targeting a so-called military school bus.The Pakistani government, military, and the media blamed the Baloch Liberation Army without presenting a shred of evidence. They even went as far as to share doctored videos, falsely claiming that children were targeted in the attack. Independent sources have reported that the actual target was military personnel and that a significant number of them were killed. So far, no Baloch or other militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.A bloody historySince its inception, Pakistan has relied on spreading false narratives to justify its brutal actions against political activists and human rights defenders. The same state that committed genocide against Bengalis still dares to sit before the press and blame India for supporting Bangladesh, conveniently ignoring its role in denying the democratic mandate of Bengalis and pushing them toward seeking independence from Pakistan's oppressive rule.advertisementSimilarly, Pakistan's claims that India supports Baloch armed groups are irrelevant. It was not India that invaded and occupied Balochistan in 1948 using military force. It was not India that carried out five major military operations against the Baloch people, killing thousands of civilians. India is not the one behind the enforced disappearances of Baloch citizens.India did not betray Agha Abdul Karim Khan and Nawab Nauroz Khan. It did not overthrow the elected National Awami Party government. It did not test nuclear weapons in the populated region of Chaghi without evacuating locals. It did not assassinate Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti or the leaders of the Baloch National Movement and Baloch Republican Party, including Ghulam Mohammad Baloch, Sher Mohammad Baloch, and Lala Munir Baloch. It did not target the Baloch Students Organisation Azad or abduct and kill countless of its members.India did not murder professors like Saba Dashtyari and Zahid Askani for their educational contributions and love for their homeland. Nor did it kill thousands of Baloch citizens in torture camps, including the son of Mama Qadeer Baloch and the father of Dr Mahrang Baloch.advertisementIt is the Pakistani state that is responsible for abducting and killing political activists and leaders, such as the father of Sammi Deen, who has been missing for 16 years. It is the Pakistani state that murders Baloch citizens and buries them in mass graves.These are just a few examples of the countless atrocities committed by the Pakistani state in Balochistan over the past 27 years.Pakistan's ignorance and its failure to understand the Baloch issue are evident even in its language. The ISPR director general refers to the Baloch people as "Balochi", a term that refers to the language. A person who does not even know the difference between the people and their language claims to have authority over them and to decide who their leaders are. His tone and body language during the briefing reflected a deep-seated hatred toward the Baloch people, a sentiment the people of Balochistan are all too familiar with. This hatred is not new; it has been a consistent part of the state's policy.Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry also launched a personal attack on Dr Mahrang Baloch, the prominent leader of the Baloch people, claiming she does not enjoy popular support. This is the most blatant lie of the entire press conference. Dr Mahrang Baloch is arguably the only leader in recent times who has garnered such widespread support from the Baloch nation. Her popularity is rooted in her struggle and the people's trust, and the lies and fabrications of military spokesmen will not diminish it.advertisementThe Pakistani state, its military establishment, intelligence agencies, and so-called democratic governments have consistently used brutal force against the people of Balochistan to suppress their struggle. This mindset remains unchanged, and it continues to be reflected in their statements and actions.This press briefing was yet another attempt by the Pakistani state to fabricate a deceptive image of itself, diverting attention from its long record of oppression, human rights violations, and state-sponsored violence, particularly in Balochistan. By making hollow comparisons with India and presenting itself as a democratic, tolerant, and accountable nation, Pakistan continues to deny the harsh realities endured by its citizens, especially those in occupied Balochistan.Misinformation, historical denialism, and attacks on credible Baloch voices are central components of the state's propaganda machinery. Yet no amount of narrative manipulation can erase the suffering, the sacrifices, or the unyielding resistance of the Baloch nation.(Hakeem Baloch is the focal person for the Baloch National Movement's foreign department. He is a freelance journalist and regularly writes about human rights issues and current affairs in Balochistan.)(Views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author)Tune InTrending Reel