Mir Ghous Bakhsh Bizenjo, popularly known as Baba-i-Balochistan, was suffering from cancer on pancreas for long and died in a Karachi Hospital on this day some 29 years ago.

He was a legendary figure in Pakistani politics. He played a dynamic role in opposing three major Martial Laws in the country. Those Martial Law regimes were led by Field Marshal Ayub Khan, General Yahya Khan and General Ziaul Haq.

All the three military dictators hated the people’s politics of late Bizenjo and most of them time, he was in jail in all parts of Balochistan or remained under House arrest preventing him from politics or meeting the people. Being a statesman, he had a charismatic personality to influence the opinion of the people in a big way.

He got the god gifted skill of uniting people and getting them ready to join a political struggle for people’s right.  He played the most dominating role in forming political alliances among the major political parties in defending the democratic rights of the people of Pakistan in all circumstances. He was one of the main instruments in forming Democratic Action Committee to oppose the Ayub military regime.

During the PNA movement against ZAB, Bizenjo was in Hyderabad Jail and from there he guided his political colleagues in other parties for giving a direction to the democratic movement. Bhutto had arrested Bizenjo along with Sardar Ataullah Mengal and Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri the day he promulgated the 1973. He remained in jail during the remaining period of Bhutto in power.

Similarly, Bizenjo played a key role in forming MRD (Movement for Restoration of Democracy)   that shattered the base of the military regime under Ziaul Haq. The MRD movement forced General Zia to hold partyless general elections installing a civilian Government under Mohammad Khan Junejo.

Bizenjo played a big role in trying to save Pakistan from disintegration after 1970 General elections. He was the first politician who rushed to Dhaka to prevail upon Sheikh Mujeebur Rehman not to announce Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Bangladesh.

Sheikh Mujeeb honoured the presence of Mir Ghous Bakhsh Bizenjo in Dhaka and announced his famous six points instead of the planned Unilateral Declaration of Independence at a meeting attended by more than 2.5 million people. Bizenjo had constantly warned the military rulers that use of military force against the Bengali people will be disastrous for Pakistan and its unity and integrity.

He helped both the sides in the talks to preserve national unity and integrity till there was a breakdown of talks on March 21. It was Sheikh Mujeebur Rehman who requested his friends from West Pakistan, mainly Bizenjo and Wali Khan, to leave Dhaka immediately as the Army planned a major military operation in Dhaka.

Similarly, Bizenjo advised Bhutto to recognize the rights of Baloch and Pakhtun people to form their own Governments in Balochistan and erstwhile NWFP (now Khybar Paktoonkwa).

First Bhutto refused to listen and selected his own cronies as Governors of Balochistan and NWFP leading to widespread protest and disruption of public orders for weeks. This forced Bhutto to concede the right of NAP to form Governments in Balochistan and erstwhile NWFP.

Bhutto and his cronies used questionable tactics to dislodge NAP Government in Balochistan. He was regularly conspiring against the NAP Government and even used the Para-military forces to encourage revolt against the Mengal Government. Bizenjo,

being a seasoned statesman of the country, prevailed on Bhutto that NAP-PPP cooperation is in the interest of Pakistan and its unity and integrity. For this, he initiated constitutional parleys between the PPP and NAP and both parties concluded the constitutional accord that would have been the basis of future Constitution of Pakistan.

Baloch militants, hard core, backed by some communist elements sabotaged the constitutional accord forcing the NAP council Session to abrogate the Constitutional Accord between the two democratic parties of Pakistan.

Bizenjo delivered a historic speech on that occasion warning the NAP leaders and workers that they are forcing Bhutto to depend upon the Mullah, the rightwing parties and the Army General for protecting his Government while sending all of us in the NAP to jail with the end of the NAP Governments in Quetta and Peshawar. His prophecies proved hundred per cent correct confirming that he was a great statesman of this country.