Baluch Students Organisation

The primary goal of the Baluch Students Organisation (BSO), a secessionist movement of the Baluchis is the independence of Baluchistan. There is also a small section within the BSO who advocate the idea of a 'Greater Baluchistan' encompassing Baluchi populated regions in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.

The origins of the outfit are not well documented but the formal training of its cadres reportedly began in 1963. The areas of operation of BSO are Baluchistan, Sindh, and Afghanistan. In the 1960's, the Baluch secessionist movement was influenced heavily by the Marxist-Leninist philosophy particularly the models practiced in Cuba, Vietnam, China, and North Africa.

During this phase, Sher Mohammed Marri, a prominent Baluchi secessionist leader advocated a mixture of Baluchi secessionism with Marxist-Leninist philosophy. Marri also began emphasising on the efficacy of guerilla warfare to the Baluchi cadres. Baluchi cadres trained in guerilla warfare were known as Parari, a Baluchi term for people with grievances who did not necessarily subscribe to peaceful negotiations.

The Parari conducted raids and ambushes on military installations to loot arms and ammunition from the state armoury. In 1969, the Pakistani government negotiated a case-fire with the Pararis. But the cease-fire did not hold as the Parari's did not have faith in the Pakistani government with regard to the safeguarding of their rights was concerned and consequently the violent movement continued.

Differences on the strategy to be adopted vis-à-vis the Pakistani government led to a schism within the Baluchi secessionist movement in 1972 with a dissident group forming another military wing termed Baluch Students Organisation-Awami.

In February, 1973, Pakistani Premier Zulfikar Bhutto dismissed the locally elected government in Baluchistan and imposed direct federal rule over the province. This decision was apparently influenced by the Shah of Iran's concern over an emerging alliance between the Baluchi groups in Pakistan and Iran and a spread of violence. Neighboring countries in the region were also wary of the Soviet Union's growing interest in the geo-strategic importance of the region. Consequent upon the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Baluchi nationalism was caught in the Afghan quagmire, the refugee crisis, and narco-terrorism.

The current status of the outfit is not clear since their activities are not adequately reported or documented. Moreover, the socio-political landscape of rural Baluchistan is presently dominated by banditry, other criminal activities, and narcotics smuggling. The weaponry of the outfit is reportedly poor and largely restricted to assault rifles and explosives.

Pakistani authorities suspect that with the emergence of Taliban in Afghanistan, Baluchi terrorists are reviving themselves. One area of activity that poses a future threat is their increasing involvement in drug trafficking which is interpreted as an effort to raise finances for a future revival of terrorist activities.