Bodies on Donkeys and a Cry for Justice: Balochistan’s Silence Has Turned into Resistance

 Bodies on Donkeys and a Cry for Justice: Balochistan’s Silence Has Turned into Resistance

By Dr. Lavkush Singh
(International Analyst on Geopolitics and Human Rights)

A harrowing visual is shaking the conscience of the digital world—a recent viral video shows the lifeless bodies of two Pakistani soldiers being carried downhill on donkeys through rugged mountains. The despondency on the faces of accompanying soldiers speaks volumes—not only of operational failure but of a moral collapse in the Pakistani military establishment. This footage was not from a foreign battlefield but from Balochistan—a region treated for decades not as a province, but as a colony within Pakistan.

Balochistan: Rich in Resources, Starved of Rights

Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area, occupying about 44% of its territory, and is rich in natural gas, coal, copper, and gold. Despite supplying over 40% of Pakistan’s natural gas, most villages in Balochistan still lack access to cooking gas and other basic amenities.
(Source: Dawn News, 2022)

This paradox—of a resource-rich but rights-starved province—exemplifies the systemic neglect of the Baloch people, who have been marginalized economically, politically, and culturally.

Human Rights Violations: The Numbers Speak

According to the Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB), 127 individuals were forcibly disappeared and 55 allegedly killed in October 2024 alone.
(Source: HRCB Report, October 2024)

The victims include students, journalists, farmers, and women activists. The term “Missing Baloch” is no longer just a phrase—it’s a collective cry for identity, justice, and survival.

The Viral Video: A Symbol of Military Humiliation

The video of Pakistani soldiers' bodies strapped to donkeys is not just an unfortunate incident—it symbolizes the boiling rage of a people oppressed for too long. Baloch freedom fighters have responded with resistance. What the state calls “terrorism,” the ground reality suggests is organized resistance—a struggle by the indigenous people to reclaim their land, culture, and dignity.

Rising Armed Resistance: The BLA and BRA

Groups like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Baloch Republican Army (BRA) have launched several coordinated attacks recently in Gwadar, Turbat, and Kech—regions strategically vital to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Dozens of Pakistani soldiers were reportedly killed.

Baloch groups have repeatedly called CPEC a “colonial project” from which they have been deliberately excluded. Their opposition isn’t just economic—it is political and existential.
(Source: Al Jazeera, 2023)

The Emotional Toll: A Mother's Plea

This resistance is not waged by guns alone—it’s fought in tears too. A Baloch mother searching for her missing son for over five years said at a military checkpoint:

“If he’s dead, at least let me have his shroud.”

These words are not just maternal grief—they are a haunting indictment of a state that offers neither closure nor justice.

Pakistan’s Moral Collapse and the Global Silence

The Baloch issue rarely finds space on the agendas of the United Nations or major human rights watchdogs. This international silence, driven by geopolitical convenience, suggests that human dignity is now secondary to political interests.

The sight of bodies being carried by donkeys is not merely a logistical failure—it is a metaphor for the death of trust that once held the Pakistani military’s reputation.

Conclusion: Balochistan Will Not Remain Silent

Balochistan is no longer silent. The seeds of revolution are being sown in its soil. If Pakistan does not amend its policies and recognize the Baloch people’s rights, it won’t just lose soldiers—it risks collapsing the very system that sustains its state narrative.

The Baloch are no longer merely resisting—they are rising to reclaim victory. And the world must take a stand with them. For in remaining silent, history will count us among the accomplices of oppression.

🔴 A Special Appeal to Democracies Like India

India and other democratic nations must raise their voices against the continued human rights violations in Balochistan. An injustice to one community, if ignored, eventually threatens justice everywhere.

About the Author:
Dr. Lavkush Singh is an international journalist, researcher, and human rights advocate specializing in South Asian geopolitics and conflict zones. His writings focus on giving voice to the unheard and spotlighting systemic injustices.