At the Asma Jahangir Conference on February 8, 2026, Sardar Akhtar Mengal’s utterance of the historic phrase “Idhar tum, udhar hum” (You there, we here) sent shockwaves through Pakistan’s political landscape. The slogan, first raised by Abbas Athar, news editor of Daily Azad in 1971, marked the beginning of Bangladesh’s separation from Pakistan. Today, Mengal’s invocation of these words signals an ominous parallel: the Baloch struggle mirrors the East Pakistan movement that led to Pakistan’s partition and creation of Bangladesh.The comparison is neither superficial nor coincidental. In 1971, the Bengali population faced systematic persecution and genocide, which ultimately resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. Religion, which had been the foundational premise of Pakistan’s creation in 1947, proved insufficient to maintain unity between its eastern and western flanks. The phrase “Idhar tum, udhar hum” captured the irreversible rupture in Pakistan’s national fabric—a process of balkanization that ignored linguistic, cultural, and political realities.Mengal’s historical awareness was evident as he presented a March 1948 agreement between Muslim League leader Mohammad Ali Jinnah and the Khan of Kalat. This document, he argued, contained promises to Balochistan that the Pakistani state systematically ignored and violated. The broken trust runs deep in Baloch collective memory. Mengal cited personal experience: his father, Ataullah Mengal, saw his government prematurely terminated and dismissed before completing its term. Even more tragically, Nawab Akbar Bugti, who had stood with Jinnah in 1947, was killed by Pakistani forces in 2006.These examples illustrate a pattern of state betrayal that has characterized Pakistan’s relationship with Balochistan for over seven decades. The Baloch people face ongoing persecution, with countless cases of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and systematic marginalization. Mengal’s stark declaration—that separation is preferable to the continued genocide and carnage of his people—received instant applause from the gathering, indicating widespread sympathy for the Baloch cause.The historical parallel with 1971 is instructive. Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it. Pakistan’s establishment, despite witnessing the catastrophic loss of its eastern wing, continues employing the same oppressive tactics against the Baloch population. The creation of Bangladesh should have served as a lesson in the futility of maintaining unity through force rather than genuine federation and respect for diversity.Mengal’s posture suggests that Pakistan’s balkanization is not merely possible but perhaps inevitable if current trajectories continue. The state’s refusal to address legitimate Baloch grievances, honor historical agreements, or cease its campaign of persecution has created conditions remarkably similar to those preceding 1971.For India, these developments carry significant implications for national security. The genocide and persecution of Balochis have generated profound disenchantment with Pakistan, creating instability in India’s western neighbourhood. Simultaneously, the radicalization in Bangladesh poses challenges on India’s eastern border. A troubled Pakistan, wrecked by internal conflicts and secessionist movements, requires heightened vigilance from India’s security apparatus on both fronts.The conference moment represents more than political theater. It marks a potentially historic inflection point where history’s lessons, ignored by Pakistan’s establishment, reassert themselves with renewed force. Whether Pakistan can reverse course and address Baloch grievances genuinely remains uncertain, but Mengal’s warning is clear: continue the current path, and 1971’s fragmentation will repeat itself in Balochistan.
