Story of The Baloch
Professor Naela Quadri
It is really a difficult job to
synchronize eleven thousand years in few pages Balochistan’s known history is
even much more older. Balochs are one of the most blessed people on earth by
all means; our vast country from central Asia till the Baloch Sea in Indian
Ocean is full of the most precious treasures materially and spiritually. We are
one of the richest nations in the world if we assess our assets of gold, oil,
gas, Uranium, and precious stones. We own the longest coast in Asia 1700 km on
the opening of strait of Hurmag (Hurmuz) till Karachi. Our pearl like clean sea
waters are full of world’s largest prawns, dolphins, sharks, whales, huge size
green turtles called living dinosaurs, and other marine life.
millions of years ago the great land
of Balochistan was lush with greenery and jungles where lot of food was
available this was dinosaurs age. Complete skeleton of one of those dinosaurs
was found in Dera Bugti Balochistan, research by the archeologists and
zoologists have proved that the present Baloch horse�s ancestors were these Baloch dinosaurs. Baloch dinosaurs found
in Dera Bugti Balochistan Life is flowing here from pre history till today in a
sequence there is not a single evidence of any irrelevance. The whole of Baloch
Kurd landscape is full of archeological sites that show our wonderful past and
our contribution in human civilization. Mehrgarh is the jewel of Shaal-Naal
civilization where the very basic tools of human civilization were invented
like wheal and expression by writing in symbols called �proto writing�, and many other inventions in Mehrgarh were
used thousands of years later in other civilizations. Wheal is known as the
foundation of civilization, as its invention made transportation traveling
easy and speedy, pottery manufacture more developed and sustainable, its use in
pulley and other basic instruments made economic development faster. It is an
honor that wheal was first invented in Mehrgarh Balochistan. Today�s life of Baloch people in divided and occupied territories, facing actions
from the states to keep us away from knowledge, infrastructure, development and
unification has resulted in many kinds of our depravations and exploitations
and some one coming from today�s developed and renaissance Europe
cannot think about our actual status in creation of today�s human civilization. That happened when a French archeologist
team in leadership of Mr. Jean Francois Jarrige came to the Mehrgarh
Balochistan on invitation of Chief of Raisani Balochs in December 1974,
he visited archeological sites there and thought that as a connecting corridor
the remains of karawans from Mohanjo daro and Harrapa of Indus, Shahr e sokhta
of Turkmenia and Mandigak of Kandhar civilization are left here but when he
excavated deeper and deeper his team was surprised to find that they are in the
remains of the mother of all civilizations of the world. They left all other
archeological fields and concentrated only on Mehrgarh and areas around it for
last 37 years to work more and more and understand the beginning of human
society, social relations, economic activities, geographical linkages and
impact of Mother civilization of Mehrgarh on the neighboring civilizations of
Central Asia Iran Afghanistan India and Babylon as its grand children.
Paintings on pottery discovered from Mehrgarh Mehrgarh Dastar on head of our
ancestors First human writings in symbols in Mehrgarh In 2000 I was invited to
give presentation about Balochistan in Lahore Press Club I introduced Mehrgarh
civilization that was very difficult for them to digest this pride of
Balochistan so a Punjabi journalist raised a question to me that how I can
prove that Balochs are the successors of the people of Mehrgarh? I showed the
same patterns of Mehrgarh on my Balochi dress I was wearing as usual. I
explained that the Baloch women have preserved the patterns and symbols of
Mehrgarh the Shaal-Naal civilization on their dresses and carpets with the help
of embroidery and weaving rugs by colored threads as these are the medium of
expression for them instead of canvas, type writers, or computers.
The great Kurd nation is the ancestral or mother nation of Baloch. Kaldani,
Adargani, Naroi, Brahoi, Zangana are the major ancient Kurd tribes that have
multiplied and developed as today’s Baloch nation. Balochi (Brahoi, Rakhshani,
Sulemani and Makurani) dialects are also spoken by Kurds till today. Few
hundred years ago a famous Baloch scholar Akhund Saleh wrote a book ‘Kurdgal
Namek’ that contains all the details of these Kurds and their fabulous ameers
who lived in a very organized, united and respectable manner from Makran to
Central Asia. Kurd ancestors have left their cherished memories as Gabrband the
catch dams for water management, Miri the Kurd forts and Karez the underground
irrigation channels, these are found all around Makran, Jhalawan, Sarawan,
Rakhshan, Sibi and Derajat. Khuzdar and Kalat always have been the capital of
Balochistan. Baloch country has always been a welcoming homeland for all Kurd
Balochs from Halab Syria , coast of Caspian Sea, and Mount Alboorz
whenever they had serious problems with their neighbor nations. Arrival of
these Balochs strengthened local Kurd Baloch’s defensive and economic systems
and contributed new shades of culture in the existed rich Kurd Baloch culture.
This migration is of internal nature; Kurd Baloch people had issues in their
habitats they migrated to Balochistan for a safer life with their own Balochs
in majority and stronger position but sometimes historians mistakenly assume
any one of these great migrations as the whole Baloch history that needs to be
corrected. Balochs are living in Balochistan for thousands of years in a proven
sequence of all ages pre Neolithic that is before stone age, Neolithic
chalcolithic age when humans domesticated animals and started agriculture, till
today’s scientific age, and in all these ages we have created almost same
geometric designs as motifs, paintings, embroidery, rugs, carvings so it is not
only a proof that we are the creators of Mehrgarh, but it is also a unique
journey of creative art for eleven thousand years by Kurd Baloch women that is
mostly made with geometric shapes and permanent colors these colors become more
prominent on the rocks when rain falls on these paintings even today. These red
and black colors are used in pottery painting in Mehrgarh and many thousand
years after in painting of Kurd Baloch heroes and same kind of symbols on rocks
in the mountains of Balochistan and Kurdistan. Treasure hunters are
busy in digging and destroying the
archeological sites for greed they sell our history for few pennies they must
be stopped, any where you find such thieves stop them; there should be a
punishment for such thieves by community elders, because they are depriving us
from our national pride.
Kalat was the capital of the Kurd
Baloch country centuries before the Hakhmanshi dynasty of Faras. According to
Kurdgal Namek the great Med Kochak Kurd is the great ancestor of the indigenous
Balochs of the present Balochistan from his line eight Kurd Baloch brothers are
the ancestors of the main basic Baloch tribes Adargani Kurd Baloch lived in
Makran, Naroi Kurd Baloch in Seistan and Rakhshan till Nimroze and Hirat,
Brahoi Kurd Balochs in Sarawan Jhalawan, in Kachhi they lived jointly for a
stronger defensive strategy. Zangana Kurds lived in the north of Balochistan
now in Afghanistan.
Another great Baloch tribe is Rind
from the line of eminent Kaldani Kurds lived in Halab Syria. One of the
grand migrations in Baloch history is of forty four Kaldani Kurd tribes
collectively called the Rind in the leadership of Mir Jalal Khan migrated from
Halab to Makran. The brave Rinds are living from Makran to Sibi and Derajat as
one of the prominent Baloch tribes playing leading role in today’s Baloch
independence movement as Marri and Bugti.
Around eight hundred years ago a
brave Kurd chief Amir Kambar Rais put the foundation of the present Baloch
dynasty. Amir Meero, Mir Omar, Mir Hammal Jiand Hote, Mir Chakar Rind, Noori
Naseer Khan, Mir Mehrab Khan earned the status of great Baloch rulers in
history.
Balochs in views of others
Heroic bravery of Baloch is praised
by many historians and poets of other nations. Herodotusa Greek
historian
wrote that Baloch army was wearing
leather jackets and shiny swords, when they fight never give up.
Shah Latif great Sindhi Sufi poet has praised Baloch character and respect
of their own words and promises.
Great Farsi poet Firdousi says that Baloch army with high flag
having black panther is extremely brave no one has ever saw their backs in
battle field.
Waris Shah a famous Punjabi poet
praises Baloch personality and bravery when he describes Murad Baloch a hero of
their love story Heer Waris Shah.
Col. Lamberk and Col. Brown have written in their diaries and reports that they have never
seen anyone like Balochs when they fight and no one as Balochs in dialogue due
to their seriousness and keeping their words.
Statue of Mir Hammal Jiand made by Portuguese in Goa India after fighting for
decades is an expression of gratitude from a brave nation for another
brave nation.
Baloch Resistance History
Baloch has always faced very hard
times in history to protect their country and sovereignty. We fought and
defeated the Mangols, Greeks, Portuguese, British and now we are fighting
Pakistan and Iran. No one succeeded in enslaving us or occupying our
country and no one can be because Baloch keeps defense of motherland, culture,
and Baloch nation as the first priority, more important than their own life.
Mongols conquered a huge part of
Asia. There army was thought undefeatable but they could not conquered
Balochistan. Memories of that fight are saved in a cave in Pandran near Kalat.
Sikandar and his Greek army invaded
almost the world but after a fierce fight back from Baloch warriors he had to
leave Balochistan, our water was indigestible for him he got very sick and left
Balochistan and went back to Greece.
In fifteenth century European nations
were busy in occupying and looting different parts of the world like America
Australia Canada Africa and India. Balochistan was also their target.
Portuguese navy attacked on the Balochistan’s coastal cities of Pasni and
Gwadar in the leadership of Vasco da gama. Baloch fought with them in
leadership of Chief Mir Hammal Jiand Hote and defeated them, arms of Portuguese
army snatched by Baloch are still kept in Pasni and one of their cannon is
still in Gwadar. The famous series of seven caves of Mir Hammal in the mountain
of Battail Gwadar is an astonishing architecture as one enters in the first
cave in the base of the mountain it opens in the second cave it seems you are
going downward, sequence of these seven caves one by one ends in the last
seventh cave that opens on the top of the Mount Battail that gives a shocking
surprise that only few minutes of walking deep in the caves one after one
downwards, end on the top. The top of Mount Battail is a huge fertile plat
farm, here clean water to drink and agriculture is available that served as a
safe bunker mount with enough food and water for Baloch to fight for the
defense of their country from invading Portuguese armies.
As admiration of bravery and superior
war strategies Portuguese made a statue of Mir Hammal Jiand it is still in the
Museum of Goa in India.
In late nineteenth century British
almost conquered Bengal and India till Punjab but attack on
Balochistan gave them an opposite answer. Marri Baloch fought them at Nafask
Kahan defeated British army who left behind there dead bodies and three
cannons.
Another historical defeat was given
to British General Dire in the mountains and valleys of Taftan by great Balochs
and their chiefs Mir Shahsawar, Sardar Khalil Khan, Sardar Jiand Khan by united
armies of Gamshadzai, Ismailzai, Yar Mohammadzai and Reki Balochs. British
General had to leave the fort of Ladiz, Khwash, Rabat, Mir Jawa, Nusratabad and
Kachav.
British spent thirty years to
penetrate in Baloch tribes to instigate tribal conflicts by their spies and
agents, they succeeded to break our brotherhood and historical unity and a civil
war started in Balochistan then British attacked Balochistan again but this
time with the support of many Baloch sardars. Baloch King Mir Mehrab Khan
fought till last breath along with his companions and martyred. British
contacted to the next King of Balochistan called Khan e Kalat to take some
strategic areas on lease or rent that links Punjab to Afghanistan.
Khan’s weakened position made him to
agree against his and Baloch nation’s will. British signed a number of
contracts with Baloch king Khan Khudaidad and took some important strategic
areas on lease from him including Shaal (Quetta), Bolan, joined it with the
southern part of Afghanistan including Pishin, Chaman, Zhobe occupied by
British in the second Afghan war and named this joint Baloch-Pakhtoon area as
British Balochistan. As British colonial power made roots deeper in the region
they succeeded in dividing Balochistan into four parts; Central part of
Balochistan was the only Baloch free country under the rule of Baloch king,
Western Balochistan {Kambaran (Bandar Abbass), Chabahar, Pahra, Dozzan
(Zahedan)}, was separated by Goldsmith line as a result of declaration of
Bompoor conference between Baloch, Gajar (Iran) and British Empire on 1st Dec
1869. Northern part (Nimroz, Hilmund, Rek, Shorawak, Ghoriyaan, kohsaan,
gulraan, kalata, pusht e koh) was separated by Durand line and given by the
British imperial forces to Afghanistan
under the Anglo-Afghan boundary
commission decision in 1896 as bribe to prevent these countries to lobby with
Russia or Germany.
The eastern part [Derajat, Khan garh
(Jaccobabad) Karachi] was taken on lease and included in British India, Eastern
Balochistan and British Balochistan was occupied by Pakistan in 1947. On
March 27, 1948 Pakistan army invaded
Central Balochistan the last
independent part of Balochistan; they arrested the King Khan Ahmad Yar Khan and
looted all the royal treasures.
Pakistan and Iran are crushing
Baloch by war crimes, including chemical weapons, cluster bombardment on
unarmed civilians, poisoning water resources, extra-judicial arrest, torture,
killings and public hangings. 14000 Balochs including women and
children are missing and thousands of families displaced from homeland
that are living in worst health security and livelihood conditions.
Balochs have a history of resistance
against any attempt to contain its sovereignty.
1- Wars against Mongol invasion.
2- Wars against Greek invasion.
3-Wars of Mir Hammal Jiand at Gwadar
coast against Portuguese 15th century to protect Balochistan.
4-Wars against Afghan invasion on
Balochistan
5- War of Marri at Nafask Kahan
against British invasion 1826
6- Mir Mehrab Khan fought in defense
of Balochistan against
British invasion in Kalat and
Martyred.
7- Baloch resistance against
declaration of Bampoor conference between Baloch, Persians and
British Empire 1st Dec 1869 border demarcation (Goldsmith line) and
withdrawal of Gajar forces from
western Balochistan.
8- The revolt of Jask in 1873.-
9- The revolt of Sarhad in 1888.
10- The general uprising in 1889.
11- A major uprising under Baloch
chieftain Sardar Hussein Naroui in1896
12- Mir Dost Mohammad’s armed
struggle 1928 against Gajar Iran.
13- 1948 Khan of Kalat was arrested
and forced to sign instrument of accession to Pakistan prompted a
fierce reaction from the Baloch people, who
took up arms under the leadership of
Prince Abdul Karim then
governor of Makran and younger
brother of the King.
14- In 1958 the king Khan Ahmad yar
Khan was arrested. Against this Nawab Nauroz Khan led rebel he was imprisoned
and seven people from his family were executed in the Hyderabad jail.
15-1960 Balochistan Liberation
Front fought against Iranian occupation of Balochistan.
16- The resistance movement
(1963-1969) led by Mir Sher Muhammad Marri was the continuing expression of
Baloch resentment against central rule.
17- In early 1972 Zrombesh was
formed by a group of guerrilla fighters. It was led by Mir Rahim Zardkohi and
Yar Mohammad Molazai Beywatan. Rahim zardkohi martyred in Pahra in 26
December1979 by Iranian forces.
The great Baloch
women
Millions of Baloch women have
played marvelous role in our history starting from the matrilineal society of
Mehrgarh. It has been proven by the archeologists and anthropologists that the
status of women was the highest; this society was lead by women. The greatest
and oldest human urban civilization was not only created mostly by women but
for thousands of years in extremely harsh conditions protected and preserved it
by their traditional colors and geometrical designs on embroidery and rugs.
Baloch medicines are the other area that is totally invented and practiced by
Baloch women called Pupoo or balluk, they are not only skilled in collecting
and preserving herbs and their medicinal uses, they also know how to relocate
bones and increase immunity against viral infections like measles and chicken
pocks. Balochi story telling and poetry is another field that is colored and
decorated with Baloch women�s expressions. Rabia Khuzdari, Hani, Semak and
Mahnaz are some of those great Baloch poetesses their work and ideas will be
remembered and followed by us always, I personally love one poem of Mahnaz in which
she says that she is just like a strong fig tree which cannot be bowed by any
proud storm and no rain can even touched its deep roots.. Bibo the sister of
Khan Kalat and Banari the daughter of Mir Chakar Rind are the remarkable
warrior women of Baloch history. Bibo commanded 16 wars on horse back against
Barakzai to get Sibi back from their occupation. Banari was commanding the
Baloch army in battle of Delhi. Her words are written on our hearts �life is just like dust in my hand, it will disperse one day but honor
will exist for ever do not care about life but do care about the honor of
Baloch� She won the battle and many families of her
Balochs remained in Delhi and still live there. Baloch pride and sense of
independence and sovereignty has kept it alive in extremely difficult
circumstances and will always be alive and successful with our unity and deep
love for honor of our motherland Balochistan.