The primary goal of the
Baluch Students Organisation (BSO), a secessionist movement of the
Baluchis is the independence of Baluchistan. There is also a small section
within the BSO who advocate the idea of a 'Greater Baluchistan'
encompassing Baluchi populated regions in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.
The origins of the outfit
are not well documented but the formal training of its cadres reportedly
began in 1963. The areas of operation of BSO are Baluchistan, Sindh, and
Afghanistan. In the 1960's, the Baluch secessionist movement was
influenced heavily by the Marxist-Leninist philosophy particularly the
models practiced in Cuba, Vietnam, China, and North Africa.
During this phase, Sher
Mohammed Marri, a prominent Baluchi secessionist leader advocated a
mixture of Baluchi secessionism with Marxist-Leninist philosophy. Marri
also began emphasising on the efficacy of guerilla warfare to the Baluchi
cadres. Baluchi cadres trained in guerilla warfare were known as Parari,
a Baluchi term for people with grievances who did not necessarily
subscribe to peaceful negotiations.
The Parari conducted
raids and ambushes on military installations to loot arms and ammunition
from the state armoury. In 1969, the Pakistani government negotiated a
case-fire with the Pararis. But the cease-fire did not hold as the Parari's
did not have faith in the Pakistani government with regard to the
safeguarding of their rights was concerned and consequently the violent
movement continued.
Differences on the strategy
to be adopted vis-à-vis the Pakistani government led to a schism within
the Baluchi secessionist movement in 1972 with a dissident group forming
another military wing termed Baluch Students Organisation-Awami.
In February, 1973,
Pakistani Premier Zulfikar Bhutto dismissed the locally elected government
in Baluchistan and imposed direct federal rule over the province. This
decision was apparently influenced by the Shah of Iran's concern over an
emerging alliance between the Baluchi groups in Pakistan and Iran and a
spread of violence. Neighboring countries in the region were also wary of
the Soviet Union's growing interest in the geo-strategic importance of the
region. Consequent upon the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Baluchi
nationalism was caught in the Afghan quagmire, the refugee crisis, and
narco-terrorism.
The current status of the
outfit is not clear since their activities are not adequately reported or
documented. Moreover, the socio-political landscape of rural Baluchistan
is presently dominated by banditry, other criminal activities, and
narcotics smuggling. The weaponry of the outfit is reportedly poor and
largely restricted to assault rifles and explosives.
Pakistani authorities
suspect that with the emergence of Taliban in Afghanistan, Baluchi
terrorists are reviving themselves. One area of activity that poses a
future threat is their increasing involvement in drug trafficking which is
interpreted as an effort to raise finances for a future revival of
terrorist activities.