This clip is almost mesmerizing !
Well produced, especially given the limited resources available.
Movie soundtrack at the beginning turns into what must be traditional Baloch songs
A fierce woman commander, the first EVER among the Baloch freedom fighters, Shayna Baloch, explains their struggle for independence from the draconian Punjabi govt in Islamabad.
Commander Shayna fearlessly keeps her face uncovered throughout her speech, but the other womens' faces are usually blurred, which is prudent for their protection from Punjabi authorities.
I watched this a little bit before, but didn't realize til the 2nd viewing that all the soldiers in training are women [note their long hair tied bac to keep out of the way of their rifles.]
For people who don't know, the Islamabad govt, currently a military dictatorship under Gen Asim Munir, is greedy for the incredible resources of rare minerals found in the Balochistan province.
It siphons off all the valuable materials and sell them at a huge profit, giving completely zero to the local Baloch themselves
Balochistan is by the far the poorest province of Pakistan.
Gilgit-Baltistan province and KP [the former British-named Northwest Frontier province in the northwest of Pakistan, renamed later to sound more local Khyber Pakhtunhwa] also share the same simmering resentment against the central govt for mistreating them, killing them deliberately to intimidate them, and leaving these provinces poor and undeveloped.
Whereas the Punjab province, which adjoins India's Punjab province, grabs ALL the money from the rest of the country, and gives almost nothing bac to any of the regions.
The Baloch Liberation Army started out in its present form in the year 2000.
It may have emerged from the ashes of a leftist group of the 1970s and 1980s, the Baluch People's Liberation Front.
That separatist guerrilla movement was backed by the Soviet Union and the Communist govt in Kabul against the pro-American Pakistan government which was in turn supporting the Afghan fighters against the Red Army's occupation of Afghanistan, 1979-89.
Baloch fighters of that era were trained in the USSR.
Though most of the Baloch are Sunni Muslims, the BLA is a secular movement based on ethnicity.
There are no plans for an Islamic govt in a freed-up Balochistan, so EVERYONE can support them, at least with prayers ! Or send an email or write a sympathetic comment to their videos or publications, which are put out by HAKKAL, the name seen on the screen here.
https://x.com/AFGDefense/status/2058034389741932860
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A Pashtun from the Zadran tribe in Afghanistan wrote admiringly :
"This brave woman is Shaynaz Baloch, a fearless commander leading a group of freedom fighters.
She is fighting for the freedom, rights, and dignity of her people and her homeland.
Her courage is a powerful reminder that women can lead, fight, and stand strong in the face of danger.
Women can be warriors, commanders, and inspiring leaders.
There should never be any doubt about the strength and power of women."
https://x.com/fhzadran/status/2058252043098161435
