Baloch National Right of Self-Determination The U.N. and International Jurists

The Western countries agree, to the principle of national right of self-determination and it has been accepted by international jurists as well as by the United Nations. But the principle remains only valid for colonies and not for the nationalities of ‘state-nations”. The U.N. declaration does not support the right of self-determination to divided nations, ruled by the “state-nations”. In 1971, when the Punjabi ruling classes of Pakistan invaded East Pakistan and refused to recognize its democratic rights, the issue of East Pakistan and its demand of the right to self-determination were discussed in the U.N. The majority of the member countries of the U.N. favored a peaceful settlement of the crisis of East Pakistan, with the aim of supporting the territorial integrity of Pakistan, a member country of the. U.N.

It is hard to predict the attitude of the member states of the U.N. in the case of the demand of Baloch for the right of self-determination. The case of Balochistan has very little similarity with the case of former East Pakistan. The historical background for such & case for Baloch self-determination would include the following points~

1. Balochistan had never been a part of the Indian sub-continent. On the contrary, she had her own independent, sovereign state recognized by Ottoman Turkey, Persia, the Sultanate of Muscat-Oman, and Durrani’ s Afghanistan.

2. The British government recognized the Khanate of Balochistan as an independent state under the Treaties of 1854 and 1876.

3. In 1941, Pakistan recognized the Khanate of Balochistan as a sovereign state.

4. The Baloch were not represented in the famous “Lahore Resolution” adopted by the All India Muslim League aiming to form an independent state of Muslims of India in 1940.

5. Baloch people did not participate in the movement of Pakistan. As the Muslim Bengalis did.

6. Balochistan’s accession to Pakistan was the result of the military action of the armed forces of Pakistan and British intrigues. The Baloch were not given, any right to determine their destiny.

In light of the above, we can make the following conclusions:

- International peace and security cannot be achieved unless the principle of the right of self-determination is recognized and practiced by “state-nations”.

- The acceptance of the principle of the right of self-determination provides a hope to oppressed and divided nations for their future as well as a sound basis for international peace.