Balochs declare independence from Pakistan

Baloch nationalist leaders have declared independence from Pakistan, citing decades of violence, enforced disappearances, and human rights violations in the region. Social media was flooded with images of Balochistan’s proposed national flag and maps of an independent Baloch state, as ‘Republic of Balochistan’ trended widely across platforms. Prominent Baloch activist and writer Mir Yar Baloch said that people across Pakistan-occupied Balochistan have taken to the streets, voicing their demand for independence with mass protests and declaring that “Balochistan is not Pakistan.” In a social media post, Mr. Mir urged the international community and the United Nations to recognise the



“Democratic Republic of Balochistan” as a sovereign state. 

The Baloch independence movement has deep historical roots, tracing back to 1947, when the princely state of Kalat briefly declared independence following the partition of British India. In 1948, it was forcibly annexed by Pakistan, a move that Baloch nationalists have never accepted. Activists, including Mir Yar Baloch, argue that the region’s vast natural resources, particularly gas and minerals, have been exploited by Islamabad, while the local population remains marginalised. Today, Balochistan remains Pakistan’s poorest and least developed province.