حزب مردم بلوچستان  Balochistan People’s Party  بلوچستانءِ اُستمانءِ گــَل

“Forced Industrialization” A Photo Story From Eastern Balochistan

Balochistan a country attacked in1839 and occupied in 1850s by the British. Then divided into Iran (Western), British India (Eastern) and the buffer state of Afghanistan (Northern), by the British. In 1947 when Brits were forced to quit India Eastern Balochistan became an independent state but was soon occupied, in April 1948, by the newly founded state of Pakistan,  under British blessings. And Western Balochistan came under full control of Iran in 1928.

Ever since, after the occupation and division of Balochistan, Baloch people are suffering from human rights violations such as massacres, carpet bombings, forced settlements, public executions and many other such kind of acts by the states which occupy Baloch land.
Iran and Pakistan treat Baloch masses as third-rate peoples as if they are not humans. And exploit the Baloch land, Balochistan, as they wish. They build highways, electricity grids and deep-sea ports only for their own purpose. Like the Brits, before Pakistan and Iran, who have made thousands of miles of railroads for military purpose to counter the so-called advance of Tsarist Russia, in Balochistan.

As far as these Photo Story is concerned, which only deals with Eastern or Pakistani occupied Balochistan. The photos are of places and people, which are in the process of forced industrialization of their land by the occupiers.
These are the scans of pictures that were taken in 2001-05, in a 38mm fixed lens Yashica camera.

S.N Baloch, October 2006.

We have no cars: Poor but big heart, Balochs crossing Shal (Quetta) – Kolachi (Karachi) highway near Las Bella. February 2003.

An abandoned mud built roadside motel, with a telephone network pole, which is also useless. In the background is Mount Chiltan, covered in snow. One can find these kind of motels all over Eastern Balochistan along roadsides. People run motels to earn a bread but often these are abandoned. Near Shal, February 2005.

Miree Castle, Kalat, the seat of the Khanate of Balochistan, now in ruins. Shal-Kolachi highway is on the western flank of the Miree. February 2003.

February 2003, Wad valley. A house door locked. In Balochistan one can often see this kind of houses, in isolated places, which’s doors are locked from outside. When economic hardship overcomes Baloch people they leave their homes and go to some other place in Balochistan or Sindh to earn something. Because there is no other alternative but to migrate, there are those too who never leave their homes at any cost. The Baloch contemporary history is full of stories of migrations that how drought destroyed their livelihoods and forced them to migrate to other places and Sindh. Sindhi people are not hostile towards Baloch as compared to Iranians, Punjabis and Pashtoons.

Ghost Village: A whole village is abandoned, Dasht-e-Goran near Kalat. August 2001.

A boy Shepard in Wad valley, February 2003. Livestock and land cultivation are the lifeline of the Baloch people. Whenever drought struck Balochistan it destroyed the livelihood of the people. And Baloch people have no one to help them to over come the effects of the drought. From 1998-2005 was one the biggest droughts in Balochistan.

Near Dringhar/Kahnak, September 2003. The Great Game: Looking westwards, rail track and the road, on the right. The rail track was laid by the British, from Shal to Dozaap (Zahedan, in Iranian Balochistan) it reached Noshkay (Nushki) in 1910. It is still used by the Pakistanis.

The major crop of Balochistan is wheat, which is in dire need every time. Here two men using a traditional Baloch plough, pulled by two male cows (called Kareegar in Balochi), before cultivating the land. Though, now days most Baloch use tractors to cultivate their land but scenes like this are not uncommon. In one way plough is environmental friendly as compared to tractor’s heavy sound and air pollution. But no body pulls plough by well, it is a hard work especially under baking sun and cold winds. We are talking of environmental friendly, now there is no such kind of thing in Balochistan, every thing/act is environments enemy. Just take the example of coastal highway built by the Pakistan army it runs from Kolachi to Gwadar, a big part of it passes through wild life sanctuary of Hingol, which is home to endangered species such as Balochi Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). Wad valley, February 2003.

Forced industrialization: In the foreground is a herd, feeding on dry bushes. In the background is Pakistan army’s local headquarter and electricity grid, supplying limited, almost none, electric power to the Baloch villages. In the far background is Qoottee Mountain. Noshkay, February 2005.
 

The landscape around highways or other roads in Balochistan is doted with Pakistani army outposts, and electricity and other purpose poles, such as this one. Sultan Pass near Noshkay, September 2003.

These roads are not ours: A Baloch nomad family on movie towards their destination somewhere in the mountains. Nomads travel hundreds of miles along with their small children and all belongings. This tradition date backs from thousands of years, it is still practical in Balochistan. Modern medical care is almost non-existent in nomadic life, they made their own medicine, called Balochi Darou, made from wild herbs. It is a common thing that nomads die from Snake and Scorpion bites before reaching any nearest Pakistani run hospital, if they reach any it not means that they will survive because there is no medical supplies. And there is high figure of women deaths during childbirths. Shal-Kolachi highway, near Oranach, February 2003.

An electric tower is damaged in a bomb explosion near Noshkay, April 2005. Presently there is a fierce guerilla struggle is going on between Baloch resistance fighters and Pakistani occupation forces. Baloch resistance fighters attack, Pakistani assets in coordinated attacks, such as bridges, electric poles, communication systems and many other such kind of things, which are used by Pakistani army in Balochistan. In 2006 Pakistani interior minister told media that they have arrested some 6,000 thousand Baloch freedom fighter from all across Balochistan. The families of those arrested do not know that where their sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, fathers and mothers have been kept. Some of the detained Balochs have been killed during custody of Pakistanis and their bodies have not been given to their relatives.

Posted by SNB to Radio Balochi FM
2006 10 20