Baloch Students Organization

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The Baloch Students Organization (BSO; Urdu: بلوچ اسٹوڈنٹس آرگنائزیشن) is a student organisation that campaigns for the students of Pakistan's Balochistan Province. It was founded as a student movement on 26 November 1967 in Karachi^[1] and remains the largest ethnic Baloch student body in the country. It got divided due to ideological differences. BSO Pajjar and BSO Mohiuddin are affiliated with the parliamentary framework of Pakistan. Dr Allah Nazar, founder of pro independence wing, in 2002 while he was studying in college, created a breakaway faction — BSO–Azad — that advocated struggle for an independent Balochistan based on pre-colonial Baloch country. The Pakistani government banned the BSO Azad on 15 March 2013, as a terrorist organisation.^[2]

There is an alleged link between BSO and India, with Pakistan accusing the Indian intelligence agency RAW of having "assets" within BSO,^[3] an allegation denied by India and activists in BSO but has been proved that Indias RAW is using BSO to brainwash and recruit terrorists.

Baloch Students Organization (BSO) has its origins in Warna Waninda Gal (Youth Educational Forum) launched in 1961, three years after the Pakistan Army arrested the Khan of Kalat giving rise to Baloch nationalism. Abdul Hakeem Baloch was its first president. The stated objectives of the organization included "promoting Balochi language and literature and debating political conditions."^[4]

Another organization called Baloch Students Educational Organization (BSEO) was founded by Baloch students in Karachi in 1962.^[4]

On 26 November 1967, after a three-day convention in Karachi, the two organizations merged into one forming the Baloch Students Organization.^[5] Nadeem Paracha, senior columnist at Dawn, characterises it as a "left wing" organisation.^[6] In addition to the original aims of Warna, BSO also aimed to campaign for the abolition of the One Unit system and limited provincial autonomy for Balochistan.^[4] The group initially campaigned for improved educational facilities in Balochistan. Its demonstrations led to many arrests and closure of student hostels.^[7] By 1969-70, the BSO was sweeping student union elections in the Baloch majority areas of Balochistan and it was allied with the National Students Federation in Karachi's universities and colleges.^[6]