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 was
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 “Lahors 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.