Hameed Baloch
Encyclopedia
Hameed Baloch was an activist for the Baloch Students Organization
(BSO) who was executed by the Pakistani government in 1981, and is regarded as a heroic martyr
by Baloch
nationalists. He was arrested on 9 December 1979, while he was a student at Government Degree College Turbat
, on charges of firing at a military officer from the Gulf state of Oman
who was recruiting Pakistan
i Baloch
mercenary
soldiers from Balochistan province
to suppress the Dhofar Rebellion
. Oman at the time was facing a Marxist–Leninist insurgency in its Dhofar
province. Ever since Oman took control of the Balochistan enclave of Gwadar
in the 18th Century (now under Pakistani control), it had hired foot soldiers from Balochistan to serve in the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces
.
The BSO, being a leftist organization, was opposed to the recruitment to fight against the Dhofari rebels,who's ideology it shared, fearing it would earn notoriety for the Baloch in the eyes of progressive
forces throughout the world and weaken the Baloch nationalist movement
in Pakistan. Secondly they saw it as aiming to 'pervert' the youth in Baloch society against Marxist–Leninist teachings by offering huge salaries for their services in a mercenary army.
Hameed was tried by a special military Court and condemned to death, even though the Omani officer was unhurt in the incident. The death sentence was carried out on 11 June 1981 in Mach prison, with Hameed's age being just 23 years. He wrote a will just hours before being taken to the gallows expressing defiance.
The execution left a significant impact on the Baloch nationalist movement and Balochi literature, with many ethnic-nationalist poets and writers dedicating works to his memory.
Baloch Students Organization
The 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...
(BSO) who was executed by the Pakistani government in 1981, and is regarded as a heroic martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
by Baloch
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
nationalists. He was arrested on 9 December 1979, while he was a student at Government Degree College Turbat
Turbat
Turbat is a city located in southern Balochistan, a province of Pakistan. The town is the administrative center of Kech District and Turbat Tehsil, the town itself contains one Union council.-About:...
, on charges of firing at a military officer from the Gulf state of Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
who was recruiting 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 Baloch
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
soldiers from Balochistan province
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...
to suppress the Dhofar Rebellion
Dhofar Rebellion
The Dhofar Rebellion was launched in the province of Dhofar against the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, which had British support, from 1962 to 1976. It ended with the defeat of the rebels, but the state of Oman had to be radically reformed and modernised to cope with the campaign.-Background:In...
. Oman at the time was facing a Marxist–Leninist insurgency in its Dhofar
Dhofar
The Dhofar region lies in Southern Oman, on the eastern border with Yemen. Its mountainous area covers and has a population of 215,960 as of the 2003 census. The largest town in the region is Salalah. Historically, it was the chief source of frankincense in the world. However, its frankincense...
province. Ever since Oman took control of the Balochistan enclave of Gwadar
Gwadar
Gwadar also known as Godar is a developing port city on the southwestern Arabian Sea coast of Pakistan. It is the district headquarters of Gwadar District in Balochistan province and has a population of approximately 50,000.Gwadar is strategically located at the apex of the Arabian Sea and at the...
in the 18th Century (now under Pakistani control), it had hired foot soldiers from Balochistan to serve in the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces
Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces
The Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces are the Royal Army of Oman , Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman and other defence forces of the Sultanate of Oman...
.
The BSO, being a leftist organization, was opposed to the recruitment to fight against the Dhofari rebels,who's ideology it shared, fearing it would earn notoriety for the Baloch in the eyes of progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
forces throughout the world and weaken the Baloch nationalist movement
Balochistan conflict
The Balochistan conflict is an ongoing conflict between Baloch nationalists and the Government of Pakistan over Balochistan, the country's largest province...
in Pakistan. Secondly they saw it as aiming to 'pervert' the youth in Baloch society against Marxist–Leninist teachings by offering huge salaries for their services in a mercenary army.
Hameed was tried by a special military Court and condemned to death, even though the Omani officer was unhurt in the incident. The death sentence was carried out on 11 June 1981 in Mach prison, with Hameed's age being just 23 years. He wrote a will just hours before being taken to the gallows expressing defiance.
The execution left a significant impact on the Baloch nationalist movement and Balochi literature, with many ethnic-nationalist poets and writers dedicating works to his memory.
See also
- Balochistan conflictBalochistan conflictThe Balochistan conflict is an ongoing conflict between Baloch nationalists and the Government of Pakistan over Balochistan, the country's largest province...
- 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...
- Allah Nazar BalochAllah Nazar Baloch- Early Life :Dr. Allah Nazar the son of Nabi Bukhsh Baloch, was born on 2nd October 1968 in a remote area of Awaran ,called Mehi , Mashkay and in 1979, he sought admission in his home town Mehi,Mshkay, Awaran,after graduation from high school in 1986, he went to Kech Turbat...
- Political prisonerPolitical prisonerAccording to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....