Balochistan Liberation Front
Encyclopedia
The Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) is a political front and militant group founded by Jumma Khan Marri
in 1964 in Damascus
, and played an important role in the 1968-1980 insurgency in Pakistani Balochistan
and Iranian Balochistan. The BLF had support from Arab nationalists leaders. Mir Hazar Ramkhani, the father of Jumma Khan Marri
, took over the group in the 1980s.
in the Iranian Baluch revolt. Iraq reduced its support after Iranian Baluch leaders made a deal with the Shah of Iran
. Iraq kept its ties with Iranian Baluchs and Central Baluchs. In 1973, Iraq
supported the Baluchistan Liberation Front in a Central Baluchistan insurgency. In the same year, Pakistan
i authorities discovered arms in the Iraqi embassy
in Islamabad
intended for the BLF's use in Balochistan. Pakistani Prime Minister
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
dismissed the provincial government of Balochistan
. The move offended the BLF, who responded by ambushing Pakistani army convoys. Balochistan
entered into insurgency
, and Pakistan
deployed over 80,000 troops in the Baluch region.
In 1974, the Pakistani army started a widespread operation in Baluchistan.The militants fled to Afghanistan
, where Iraq
and the Soviet Union
helped the BLF reorganize.
Jumma Khan Marri
Jumma Khan Marri is a famous Baloch political leader and son of a Baloch leader, Mir Hazar Khan Marri, who led a Baloch uprising in the 1970s and 1980s. Marri was born 15, January 1966 in Thadri, Balochistan...
in 1964 in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, and played an important role in the 1968-1980 insurgency in Pakistani Balochistan
Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
and Iranian Balochistan. The BLF had support from Arab nationalists leaders. Mir Hazar Ramkhani, the father of Jumma Khan Marri
Jumma Khan Marri
Jumma Khan Marri is a famous Baloch political leader and son of a Baloch leader, Mir Hazar Khan Marri, who led a Baloch uprising in the 1970s and 1980s. Marri was born 15, January 1966 in Thadri, Balochistan...
, took over the group in the 1980s.
History
From 1968 to 1973, the BLF was supported by IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in the Iranian Baluch revolt. Iraq reduced its support after Iranian Baluch leaders made a deal with the Shah of Iran
Pahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty ...
. Iraq kept its ties with Iranian Baluchs and Central Baluchs. In 1973, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
supported the Baluchistan Liberation Front in a Central Baluchistan insurgency. In the same year, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i authorities discovered arms in the Iraqi embassy
Arms discovery in Iraqi Embassy
The 1973 Arms discovery in the Iraqi Embassy in Pakistan refers to an armed conflict between the State of Pakistan and the Iraqi Embassy situated in Islamabad. The conflict ended with a successful special military operation led by Pakistan's Special Service Group and the Pakistan Army Rangers...
in Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
intended for the BLF's use in Balochistan. Pakistani Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
dismissed the provincial government of Balochistan
Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
. The move offended the BLF, who responded by ambushing Pakistani army convoys. Balochistan
Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
entered into insurgency
Insurgency
An insurgency is an armed rebellion against a constituted authority when those taking part in the rebellion are not recognized as belligerents...
, and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
deployed over 80,000 troops in the Baluch region.
In 1974, the Pakistani army started a widespread operation in Baluchistan.The militants fled to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, where Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
helped the BLF reorganize.
See also
- Baloch Republican ArmyBaloch Republican ArmyThe Baloch Republican Army is a Baloch secessionist organization which began attacks on Pakistani security forces and infrastructure on 5 July 2007. Their prime targets are individuals of Pakistani Armed Forces, international oil companies, Pakistan Railways and electricity infrastructure...
- Balochistan conflictBalochistan conflictThe Balochistan conflict is an ongoing conflict between Baloch nationalists and the Government of Pakistan over Balochistan, the country's largest province...
- Dad ShahDad ShahMir Dad Shah or Mir Daad Shah was a farmer who lived in Nillag village of Iranian Balochistan in the fifties. He hated Mohammad Reza Pahlavi an oppressive administration which made him to pick up arms against shah. Daad Shah's wife Bibi Hatun also fought with him against his enemies...
- JundallahJundallahJundallah, or Jondollah , also known as People's Resistance Movement of Iran , is an organization based in Balochistan that claims to be fighting for the rights of Sunni Muslims in Iran. It was founded by Abdolmalek Rigi who was captured and executed in Iran in 2010...
- Balochistan Liberation ArmyBalochistan Liberation ArmyThe Balochistan Liberation Army is a terrorist group based in Balochistan, a mountainous region within southern Iran and Pakistan. The organization is a participant in the Balochistan conflict and strives to establish an independent state of Balochistan, free of Pakistani and Iranian rule...
- Bugti militiaBugti militiaBugti Militia formed in Dera Bugti in Balochistan by Akbar Khan Bugti in the 1952. The Bugti Milatia had been involved in the insurgency of 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 2004 and ongoing.-History:...
- Baloch Students OrganizationBaloch Students OrganizationThe Baloch Students Organization, or BSO was founded in 26 November 1967 as nationalist student organization in Pakistani part of occupied Balochistan. The main objectives of BSO were to organize and educate Baloch youth politically for the liberation of Balochistan.It this time BSO is divided into...
- Baluch People's Liberation FrontBaluch People's Liberation FrontBaluch People's Liberation Front, also known as Baluch Awami Azadi Mahaiz or BPLF, was founded in the 1965. its aim was the independence of...
- Popular Front for Armed ResistancePopular Front for Armed ResistancePopular Front for Armed Resistance, or PFAR, was founded in 1960s and active until 1973 in Pakistan. It was run by Baluchi tribal separatist groups, which carry out serial bomb attacks. In 1974 at Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the group announced and end to the insurgency, which had by that time claimed the...
- Baloch Students Organization- AwamiBaloch Students Organization- AwamiThe Baloch Students Organization-Awami or BSO-Awami was founded in 1972, when it split from Baloch Students Organization . It supported Baluch People's Liberation Front, a militant organization in Balochistan against Pakistani control. The organisation was Marxist-Leninist in its ideology.Taj...
- Baluch Liberation Front
- ParrariParrariParrari or Parari was founded by Sher Mohammad Marri in the 1962. The Parrari resistance began in Marri tribal region and spread to other parts of Baluchistan. The Parraris had volunteers which ambuhed convoys and raided Pakistani Military camps, which in answer Pakistani Army air bombardments...
- PashtunistanPashtunistanPakhtunistan or Pashtunistan, meaning the "land of Pakhtuns" or "land of Pashtuns", is a modern term used for the historical region inhabited by the native Afghans or Pashtun since at least the 1st millennium BC...
- RebellionRebellionRebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
- The War on TerrorWar on TerrorThe War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
- Separatist movements of PakistanSeparatist movements of PakistanThere are various separatist movements of Pakistan. Several parties based on ethnic lines exist though only two, the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz and Balochistan Liberation Front are of much significance....
- RevolutionRevolutionA revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
- The Taliban
- The Durand LineDurand LineThe Durand Line refers to the porous international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which has divided the ethnic Pashtuns . This poorly marked line is approximately long...
External links
- WTF- Baloch Liberation; from whom?
- www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/07/bin_laden_and_the_baluchistan.html
- http://www.google.co.uk/books?vid=ISBN0844741698&id=K27SO6L3qP0C&pg=PA71&lpg=PA71&ots=QEaE1uz5Pl&dq=baluchistan+liberation+front&sig=pIEIfYXzTv3rsEpVqsW9OhFD_cE#PPA70,M1
- http://www.google.co.uk/books?vid=ISBN1412804698&id=NgDks1hUjhMC&dq=baluchistan+Liberation+army