The Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) has urged the United Nations (UN) to take immediate action in Balochistan, calling for the establishment of a United Nations Mission in Balochistan (UNMIB) to end Pakistan’s military operations and ensure the region’s independence. According to an FBM representative, the increasing momentum of the Baloch freedom movement has exposed the failure of the Pakistani military’s narrative.

The call for intervention comes as Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman highlighted the deteriorating situation in Balochistan. His recent statements suggest that public sentiment in the region is shifting towards independence, further indicating that Pakistan’s violent suppression is no longer sustainable.

The FBM representative stressed that Balochistan has been in conflict for over 70 years, with thousands of Baloch civilians forcibly displaced and many others reported missing. They accused China of supporting Pakistan’s military in large-scale operations across Balochistan, aimed at facilitating economic projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). These initiatives, particularly in Gwadar, are believed to exploit the region’s natural resources while disregarding the rights and safety of the local population.

The Pakistani military, including its air force, has been carrying out widespread attacks on Baloch civilians, leading to a worsening humanitarian crisis. According to FBM, airstrikes and military offensives have forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. Despite facing economic struggles, Pakistan continues to allocate billions of rupees to intensify its military operations in Balochistan.

In a recent session of the Pakistani National Assembly, Maulana Fazlur Rehman stated that several districts in Balochistan are at a point where, if they declare independence, the UN would recognise their demand immediately. He emphasised the government’s oppressive actions, which have alienated the Baloch people to such an extent that public support for independence is growing stronger.

FBM emphasised that an independent Balochistan is crucial for peace, stability and development in the region. It argued that the UN and international community has a duty to intervene, just as they did in past conflicts leading to the independence of East Timor, Kosovo, South Sudan, Namibia and Eritrea.

The spokesperson recalled that the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) played a key role in East Timor’s independence in 2002, while NATO’s intervention in Kosovo in 1999 helped end oppression and led to the formation of UNMIK (United Nations Mission in Kosovo). Similarly, South Sudan gained independence in 2011, following the efforts of UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan). Namibia and Eritrea also secured independence through UN-led initiatives in the early 1990s.

FBM urged the UN to take immediate steps to establish UNMIB (United Nations Mission in Balochistan) and ensure the withdrawal of Pakistani forces. The representative stated that the Baloch people have a rightful claim to sovereignty and that international intervention is necessary to stop ongoing human rights violations. They emphasised that, just like in previous cases of decolonisation and liberation, Balochistan’s independence is a moral, political and historical necessity.