Ghulam Muhammad Baloch:
The Man who Revolutionized Baloch’s struggle
Ghulam Muhammad Baloch was firmly cleared about the Pakistani occupation of the Baloch land and led the masses towards the attainment of complete independence of the Baloch nation. He, several times during his speeches and interviews, clarified it in front of the nation that it was not possible for the Baloch nation to stay in this so-called federation which was not only exploiting the Baloch’s resources but eliminating their culture, language the national identity. He always asked the Baloch nation to stand up and strive against the Punjabi occupation over their land and participate in the Baloch national liberation movement to safeguard their national identity. Due to his clear stance on the Punjabi occupation on Baloch land, he was the first target of the ‘Kill and Dump’ policy of the Pakistani state in their attempt to curve the Baloch national struggle for the freedom of Balochistan.
Shaheed Ghulam Muhammad, the man of his words and one of the central leaders of the Baloch struggle for the complete independence of the Baloch land, got birth on January 1, 1959 in Soro Mand. His first name was Mir Naseer Khan Noori, the name of the legendary Baloch leader who ruled the Baloch Confederation for a long time. But soon after, his name was changed. He got his primary education in his native area. For further education, he went to Karachi where he graduated; and then he took admission in Balochistan University for master’s degree.
Ghulam Muhamad played an active role in student politics during his student life. He participated in protests, circles and campaigns of his time. Soon, he was given organizational responsibilities as he was very sincere with the Baloch nation from his childhood. He was very young when he penned down this poetry for his mother:
“Mathi Mani Sah e Badal,
Panthe Cha ha Maath an bozor”
He was appointed as Unit Secretary, President and then soon became the Chairman of the Baloch Students Organization (BSO) during the 80s. Ghulam Muhammad was very close to Shaheed Fida Ahmed and worked together for the greater goal. After assassination of Fida Ahmed in 1988, he did not freeze his struggle for the national cause. His role in making Baloch National Youth Movement (BNYM) was very pivotal; he, along with Shaheed Fida Ahmed, managed to unite the former student leaders on the given political platform to struggle for the greater cause of Baloch nation. After Fida Ahmed’s martyrdom, it was hard for him to cope with all the situations as he was leading the movement from frontline.
He was firstly arrested by the Pakistani police in 1984 because of his active participation in the MRD movement. After student politics, Ghulam Mohammad joined the Baloch National Party, which was being led by Dr Abdul Malik and Dr Hayee. But as soon as he realized that they were not sincere with the Baloch nation and the national movement, he, after consulting with his ideological friends, launched their organizing body of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) in 2004 which had a clear vision of the sole purpose of an independent Balochistan rather than parliamentary politics. Soon after launching their party, members of BNM faced the state atrocities as several got arrested and detention continued (which is going on till day).
Ghulam Muhammad, from the beginning, had a clear vision of the independence of Balochistan but due to the ground situations, he was not able to mobilize the Baloch masses for the struggle until Nawab Khair Bux Marri returned to Balochsitan from Afghanistan. With the new rise of the Baloch national struggle for the liberation, he was in the front to lead the masses and mobilize the Baloch nation to stand and struggle for the greater cause by breaking the chains of slavery.
He was once again abducted by the intelligence agencies of Pakistan along with Shaheed Lala Munir on December 3, 2006 as he was involved in complete struggle for the freedom of Balochistan. He was brought into surface by the agencies on August 20, 2007 after massive protests by the Baloch nation and his family members. Even after getting released from the dungeons, he started his political struggle again. Shaheed Gulam Mohammad openly campaigned for the Baloch national struggle as he was prepared for sacrifice. Due to his political thoughts and sincere feelings for the Baloch national cause, he inspired thousands of people to become part of the movement for the brighter future of their land.
Ghulam Mohammad was elected as Chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM) for the second time in 2008’s national council session of BNM. He was working for the single party of the Baloch movement, however, his dream could not come true. But he did not quit and managed to launch an alliance of the Baloch parties in the shape of Baloch National Front (BNF) and served as the General Secretary of the alliance.
Ghulam Mohammad was yet again abducted by the Pakistani forces on April 3, 2009 along with Lala Munir and Sher Mohammad from Turbat in front of the people. Their dead bodies were recovered on April 9 in Murgap with severe tortures inflicted on their bodies. It was also the beginning of the ‘Kill and Dump’ policy of the state to counter the Baloch national movement for freedom. The state succeeded to snatch the great revolutionary leader of the Baloch nation from them, however, the enemies of the Baloch nation could not restrict chairman’s ideology from being spread in all the corners of the Baloch land. As today, every Baloch has the sense of freedom and, hence, is struggling to get stronger day by day.