A brief comment by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan at a public event in Saudi Arabia has sparked a wave of debate on social media after he mentioned “Balochistan” and “Pakistan” as separate entities. The remark, which came during the Joy Forum 2025 held in Riyadh between 16th and 17th October, is being discussed widely on social media.
Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Aamir Khan were present at the international entertainment conference that welcomed some of the globe’s most prominent film personalities. Salman was describing how Hindi movies have an enormous following in the Middle East during a panel discussion on the global appeal of Indian cinema.
“Right now, if you make a Hindi film and release it here (in Saudi Arabia), it will be a superhit. If you make a Tamil, Telugu, or Malayali film, it will do hundreds of crores in business because so many people from other countries have come here. There are people from Balochistan, there are people from Afghanistan, there are people from Pakistan… everyone is working here,” he said.
Finally @BeingSalmanKhan acknowledged Balochistan is not Part of Pakistan ✌️❤️?
— Bilal Baloch (@bbfr74) October 18, 2025
Salam Khan said “ People of Balochistan, Afghanistan , Pakistan & everywhere”@BDUTT #Balochistan #Baloch pic.twitter.com/TgdqrZhzr6
Although the remark was made in a relaxed tone, the manner in which Salman referred to Balochistan individually from Pakistan raised everyone’s eyebrow. Whether by accident or design is not certain, yet the word choice set social media ablaze instantly.
Many users on X (formerly Twitter) praised Salman for “acknowledging” Balochistan as a separate entity. One user wrote, “Salman Khan mentioned Balochistan separately from Pakistan because he knows it’s a different country.”
Another posted, “Even Bollywood superstar Salman Khan knows that Balochistan is the land of our ancestors.” On the other hand, some argued that the actor might not have meant anything political, and it could simply have been an unintentional choice of words.
Still, the reason it matters is that the Baloch issue is one of South Asia’s most sensitive political subjects. For decades, the people of Balochistan have been demanding greater autonomy and, in many cases, complete independence from Pakistan.
Balochistan is the most resource-rich province of Pakistan
Balochistan is Pakistan’s biggest and richest province, occupying almost 44 percent of its geographical area. It possesses enormous deposits of natural gas, coal, gold, and copper. But still, it is the most underdeveloped province of the country. For many Baloch people, this stark imbalance is at the heart of their demand for independence.
Their argument is simple: while their resources power Pakistan’s industries, their own people remain poor, neglected, and under permanent military surveillance. The area has been a focal point of insurgency for decades.
How Balochistan became part of Pakistan
Historically, Balochistan was an independent entity under the Khan of Kalat. However, it was added to Pakistan in March 1948 under coercion following the British withdrawal. The Khan of Kalat signed an instrument of accession under pressure and against his own will and the will of the Baloch people. Before that, a Standstill Agreement was signed between Kalat and Pakistan on August 11, 1947, under British supervision, recognising Kalat as an independent state. Kalat was the name given to what is now known as Balochistan. However, in 1948, Pakistan forced the Khan to merge Balochistan into Pakistan. Pakistan wanted Balochistan to be merged into its federation.
Since the merger, five major insurgencies, 1948, 1958, 1962, 1973-77 and the ongoing conflict since the early 2000s, have erupted, driven by grievances of the Baloch people over political marginalisation, violent and torturous suppression and resource exploitation. The Baloch freedom movement is now being led by the BLA, which has seen brutal suppression at the hands of the Pakistani regime. The Pakistani regime has been hounding the Baloch leadership and members under its ‘Kill and Dump’ policy that began in 2009.
Why Balochistan wants to be separate
The Baloch resentment is based on years of political marginalization, economic exploitation, and military oppression. While the province is endowed with natural gas and minerals, a majority of its population lives in poverty. The Sui gas fields, for instance, have fueled a large portion of Pakistan since the 1950s, yet the majority of homes in Balochistan still do not have access to basic gas or electricity.
Projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Gwadar Port have brought billions in investment, but locals say they’ve seen little benefit. Instead, many families have been displaced without proper compensation, and job opportunities have largely gone to outsiders.
Politically too, the Baloch are left on the margin. Their representatives blame Islamabad for manipulating elections, imposing puppet governments, and dissolving provincial legislatures whenever local uprisings catch fire. Instead of dialogue, Pakistan has used force time and again. Rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have consistently documented enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan. The term “missing persons” has become a chilling feature of everyday life there.
In addition to this, the Baloch people feel that their identity and culture are being erased. Their history, language, and customs have been made peripheral by a state agenda of Islamic unity and Punjabi supremacy. It has given rise to a sense of dislocation, particularly among the young Baloch who view freedom as the only possible future.
