Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan and the Baloch people willingly joined Pakistan on its creation in 1947. This is the truth and the factual position which the Editorial ‘Expelling Refugee' tried to distort by stating that "Balochistan has been under Pakistan's rule since it was liberated from India in 1947. Reports have it that many Balochs have been killed while hundreds of thousands have been relocated." This is not only a misstatement of facts but a grave allegation against my country.
The Father of Nation Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah visited Balochistan several times before the creation of Pakistan and actively lobbied with the British Colonist to give Balochistan the status of the Province. The then Baloch leadership made an unflinching commitment with the Quaid and the latter's love for Quetta is symbolized by the fact that Quaid-i-Azam spent his last days in Ziarat Residency, a city of Balochistan.
The historical facts can be corroborated from historical record that the British decided to hold a referendum on June 30, 1947 in Shahi Jirga of Balochistan and extra ordinary joint session of the Shahi Jirga was held on 30th June 1947 and to the dismay of the Congress party, 54 members of the Shahi Jirga and Quetta Municipality voted en-block to join the new Constituent Assembly to be set up in Pakistan. Consequently upon Pakistan's creation on 14th August 1947 the area of Balochistan under the British rule joined Pakistan immediately while the remaining four princely states called KHANATES namely Makran, Kharan, Lasbella and Kalat joined after a referendum in March 1948.
Balochistan has been victim of subversive activities by India. On 3rd March 2016 Commander KulbushanYadav the RAW operative (Indian intelligence agency) was apprehended by our authorities when he was trying to enter in Pakistan illegally. In the press conference a confessional video statement of the RAW officer was released. Yadav revealed his identity as Indian Naval officer whose objective was to instigate Baloch insurgents and finance Baloch Liberation Movement in order for them to carry out subversive activities in Balochistan resulting in the killing of Pakistani citizens. The arrest of Yadav and his confessional statement has vindicated Pakistan's longstanding position.
Last but not the least Pakistan was not "liberated" but was "created" as a result of unparalleled constitutional struggle.
ZahidNasrullah Khan
Ambassador, Pakistan