QUETTA, Pakistan — A one day conference was held on the 79th anniversary of the passing of Mir Yousaf Aziz Magsi at the Balochi Academy in Quetta on Saturday.

The seminar was organized by the Balochi Academy, Cultural Department and Nawa-e- Bolan Publication.

Agha Gul, a well-known Urdu novelist, was the chief guest, while Dr. Saleem Kurd presided over the seminar. Literary, political and social figures such as Professor Yousaf Mengal, Habib Rind, Shmas Mandokhail, Qasim Shah, Saeed Kurd, Ghulam Nabi Marri, Zubair Baloch, Akbar Sasoli, and Zahid Dashti paid tribute to the political struggle and literary work of Mir Yousuf Aziz Magsi.

“Magsi was a great leader who brought awareness among the Baloch nation about Baloch nationalism and education. He is well-known because of his efforts against tribal system. On May 31, 1935 Nawab Yousaf Aziz Khan Magsi was among the casualties when Quetta was hit with a devastating earthquake claiming thousands of lives.” The speakers said.

The speakers said that Mir Yousaf Aziz Magsi struggled for independence of Balochistan from British rule and he started his struggle by writing Balochistan’s Lament, which was published in a weekly newspaper, Hamdard, on November 17, 1929.

As a result of Magsi’s article, a special jirga (conference of the tribal elders) held in Kalat on July 17, 1930 sentenced him to one year of solitary confinement in Zehri and an 11,000 rupee fine.

“Yousaf Aziz Magsi organized the first “All India Baloch Conference” in Jacobabad (Balochistan) in 1932. In 1933, the second “All India Baloch Conference” was arranged in Hyderabad (Sindh) and Baloch from India, Central Asia, and Turkmenistan participated in the historical conference of Hyderabad,” speakers added.

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Mir Behram Baloch is a journalist covering government and social issues in Balochistan. Read other articles by Mir.