www.balochwarna.org/modules/articles/article.php

BY Dr. Naseer Dashti

In the history of nations, many personalities are remembered as legends, heroes or villains according to the perception of the people towards their actions and performances. In the tortuous history of the Baloch existence, there are names which are revered by the Baloch as heroes which became legendary personalities and are depicted in the Baloch literature and folklore like Greek mythological entities. August twenty-six 2006 witnessed the birth of another hero, when Nawab Akbar Bugti and his companions entered the stage of the Baloch history as heroes and legendary figures by sacrificing their present in order to secure a bright future of the Baloch. They were the victims of one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against the Baloch national leaders by adversaries in the long and painful conflict of this nation with the dominating forces. He will be remembered as a hero who fought for national cause and in this way wrote a new glorious page in the history of the Baloch national resistance. The manner he preserved the Baloch traditional values while alive and the manner he fought against the tremendous odds and the manner he was murdered made him one of the legendary figures of the Baloch national history. Nawab Bugti will be remembered as one of the most famous, one of the most admired, one of the most beloved, and, without any doubt, the most extraordinary of the Baloch national leaders who walked to his eminent death with dignity and honour.

One may wonder why a person would be remembered as a hero and legendary figure that had been demonized by the powerful state apparatus as a brutal tribal chief. A person who was depicted by state propaganda machinery and its allies among the Baloch as acting only for the fulfilment of his personal interests. Understandably, the demonizing efforts of the state establishment were without any influence on the Baloch regarding Nawab Bugti and towards other national leaders for many reasons. Firstly, because it is in the knowledge of every Baloch that from the very beginning of the annexation of Kalat into Pakistan, the whole state machinery and lackeys of state establishment among the Baloch tried their best and still trying to demonize the Baloch national leadership especially the three leading personalities including Nawab Bugti. Secondly, the state propaganda became ineffective regarding Baloch leadership because the Baloch masses are aware that it has been the policy of aggressors to demonize them before the Baloch leadership could be physically annihilated. In this perspective, the cruel murder of Nawab Bugti has been interpreted by the Baloch as reflecting the attitudes, behaviours and designs of the aggressive forces towards the Baloch with the ultimate aim of total domination of the Baloch land and natural resources. It has been interpreted by the Baloch to reflect the designs of the aggressors to the total destruction of the Baloch culture, identity, and history. The Baloch will remember Nawab Bugti because they know he was determined to fight for the preservation of Baloch culture, traditions, and natural identity. They will remember him because they knew that he was inspired with genuine national and patriotic aims and sentiments.

The Baloch will remember him because they know that his personal and political life, his experience as a Baloch national leader, his ability as a veteran tribal chief, his exemplary role as a soldier and commander at the same time was very valuable for the Baloch national struggle and for the preservation of the Baloch dignity, honour and cultural identity. The Baloch will remember Nawab Bugti because they believe that his faith in Baloch destiny, his faith in the idea of national emancipation and his faith in setting the example by embracing death in the battlefield was extraordinary and genuine.

The Baloch will remember Nawab Bugti because they admire what he did and what he was doing, that fact in itself of facing alone with a handful of men an overwhelming number of enemy forces in itself is an extraordinary feat. It is among one of the few events in the Baloch history in which a leader or commander with such a small number of men had embarked on a struggle against such considerable forces. It is proof of his self-confidence and the confidence in the righteousness of his cause. The Baloch will remember Nawab Bugti because they are able to appreciate all the value of his example and because the Baloch have the most absolute conviction that his sacrifice will serve as inspiration for the people in general, and for the present and future Baloch leadership in particular.

The Baloch will remember nawab Bugti because it was humiliating for the entire nation in which his murder was publicized by his murderers. It was humiliating for the entire Baloch nation the way his dead body was desecrated. It was humiliating for the Baloch how his murderers expressed their jubilations on the brutal murder of an 80 years old, partially paralysed Baloch chief.

The Baloch will remember him because they know that Nawab Bugti was murdered not defending any personal interest, any cause other than the cause of the exploited and oppressed Baloch. He shed his blood for the redemption of the exploited and the oppressed.

The Baloch will remember him because the Baloch landmass has always been gracious to honour his brave children and they have demonstrated this in the past that this is an appreciative people. The Baloch will remember Nawab Bugti because they know how to pay homage to the memory of the courageous men who fall in battle; the Baloch will remember him because they know how to acknowledge those who serve it.

The Baloch will remember him because the murder of Nawab is an inspiration for the Baloch youth to work harder to build a state of mind for an unflinching desire to fight and die for the common cause of national salvation. The sacrifice of Nawab will cause the reawakening of the fact that cruelties of the enemy, activities of the traitors among the Baloch and the overwhelming power of the adversary should not be considered as meaningful hindrance in a successful march towards the desired destination of national salvation. The sacrifice of Nawab has stirred the soul of the Baloch nation and, through the pain, their hearts have been opened to a profound truth – that with out sacrifice the future is not bright, and that the story of all national liberation is one of a struggle against all odds. They have learned again that the Baloch national resistance was built on heroism and noble sacrifice. It was built by men who answered a call beyond duty, who gave more than was expected or required, and who gave it with little thought to worldly rewards. The Baloch nation is indeed fortunate that they are blessed with heroes like Nawab Akbar Bugti, Khan Mehrab Khan, Baloch Khan Nosherwani and countless others. They are fortunate that they can still draw on immense reservoirs of courage, character and fortitudes of such heroic leaders.

He will be remembered because he proved himself a visionary leader. He perceived the action of adversary correctly, tried to give his share in stopping the advance of the enemy, he saw the coming miseries and suffering of his people and tried to do his best to lessen the suffering of his people.

The famous Latin American revolutionary Che Guevara once said that if death surprised him at any place, it would be welcome, providing that his battle cry had reached a receptive ear and another hand was stretched out to grasp a weapon. The murder of Nawab Bugti no doubt is a hard blow for the Baloch national resistance; however, with the murder of Nawab Bugti, his battle cry has reach thousands of the Baloch ears and it will continue to reach thousands of receptive Baloch ears in the years to come. There will arise new Akbars from the rank and file of the Baloch people and they will raise their hands to take up arms in the defence of their sacred land and traditions.

It is not that the Baloch are idealizing Nawab Bugti, or enlarging in death beyond what he was in life. He will be respected and remembered because the Baloch believe that as a nationalist, as a Baloch nationalist, a real Baloch, he had infinite faith in the upholding of traditional Baloch moral values. Nawab Bugti will be remembered as a respected hero because he saw the eminent death and embraced it with grace in a typical Balochi way and gave the idea of national liberation a new and most revolutionary expression of self-sacrifice. By his extra-ordinary example, he made everlasting impact on the Baloch socio-cultural behaviours. Today, every Baloch mother will aspire in her heart that his son should follow the path of Nawab Bugti and die a death like Nawab Bugti.

The Baloch know that national liberation struggles always been long-drawn struggles. There is no quick fixes in this way. There is no swift victory against the forces of dominations. The Baloch are aware of the fact that many among them are preaching in the tone of enemy that nothing can be done by a weak and helpless nation in the face of enormous power of the adversary. Nevertheless, the Baloch are also aware of the fact that many resistance movements of the oppressed nations that were very weak and small in number have flourished and been successful. They are aware of the fact that courage and belief that one is on the right side have changed the course of history. In the long drawn struggle for national emancipation, the Baloch have got an invincible influence in the death of Nawab Bugti. The noble sacrifice of Nawab Bugti strengthened the general Baloch belief that a bright future of the Baloch is not beyond the control of our generation; it has increased the general awareness among the Baloch that the time has thrust upon this generation of the Baloch a greater burden of responsibility than any generation that has ever lived.

The Baloch will remember him because they believe that Nawab and his companions did not die in vain. They believe that the blood of Nawab and his companions may well serve as a redemptive force that will bring new light to the darkness presently engulfing the Baloch horizons. The blood of Nawab Bugti will certainly nourish the tree of the Baloch aspirations.

The Baloch will never forget Nawab Bugti. The Baloch will remember him as an immortal national hero and a great patriot. The Baloch will remember him because every Baloch share with Nawab Bugti a bond of common faith in the achievement of the common goal, the common goal of emancipation, the common goal of freedom from subjugation, the common goal of living a dignified life according to their own traditions and social values. The Baloch will remember Nawab Bugti because they believe that he sacrificed his present for the bright future of the Baloch nation. The pain of his brutal murder will be deep and enduring for every Baloch. Every Baloch for generations to come will remember Nawab Bugti and his brave companions, and will cherish each of their stories - stories of bravery, stories of dedication and stories of true heroism. The 26th of august will not be remembered as a good day of the year for the Baloch; however, the Baloch will remember the day for the generations to come, on that day the Baloch will remember the towering figure of their national history who was murdered ruthlessly. On that day, the Baloch will remember how their gallant hero walked towards a dignified death. On that day, every year, the bright sun on the horizons of Balochistan will shine on the memories of Nawab Bugti’s heroic death.