Articles for author: Zaffar Baloch

Zaffar Baloch

The struggle for Balochistan’s independence: what went wrong?

What followed the 1948 invasion of the sovereign state of Balochistan by the Pakistani military was an armed revolt led by Prince Agha Abdul Karim, younger brother of the ruler of Kalat, Mir Ahmedyar Khan. The revolt ended in defeat. Early Reminiscences of a Soldier, published in the daily Dawn (August 14, 1960), authored by ...

Zaffar Baloch

Illusion

Meaning to life is an illusion followed by the multitude, a madding crowd. Blessed are those who are blinded with ignorance for they keep running towards the dark abyss, relentlessly. And yet, among us walk the ones who know. They dare not stop and doubt for the fear of being crushed by the blind fury ...

Zaffar Baloch

The wailing wall

I am the wailing wall In my cracks and clefts Lay the sorrows of ages In my stones Lives man and his loneliness I am the wailing wall Come to me Sit down and empty yourself I am a sponge In me I behold the flood Of human miseries I have seen man In his ...

Zaffar Baloch

Lahoot e La Makaan

Lahoot La’makaan

All places holy Remind me How lonely I am How lonely I’ve been All these years, For millenniums. Out of me, Grew temples and tombs, The weeds of my soul. Now taller than me, Blocking the sun. My existence is a pilgrimage, From nowhere to nowhere.   * Lahoot La’makaan is a holy shrine in ...