Pakistan accuses Salman Khan of declaring Balochistan independent, labels him a “terrorist”

Islamabad (The Uttam Hindu): A statement by Bollywood's "Dabangg" actor Salman Khan has caused an uproar in Pakistan. The Shahbaz Sharif government was deeply angered by Salman Khan's alleged reference to Balochistan as a separate country during a recent event in Saudi Arabia. Following this statement, Pakistan took unilateral action and declared Salman Khan a "terrorist."

According to reports, Pakistan's Interior Ministry has issued an official notification designating Salman Khan a terrorist under the Anti-Terrorism Act. His name has been included in the Fourth Schedule.

It's worth noting that in Pakistan, the fourth list includes individuals suspected of involvement in radical or terrorist activities, and they are subject to strict surveillance. However, there has been no response from Salman Khan or any of his representatives regarding this serious move.

The controversy erupted after Salman Khan addressed a forum in Saudi Arabia. According to sources, Salman Khan said, "These are people from Balochistan, people from Afghanistan, people from Pakistan, everyone is working hard in Saudi Arabia."

Pakistan was upset with this statement because Salman Khan's way of saying it was such that it seemed as if he was calling Balochistan a separate entity from Pakistan.

It is worth noting that Balochistan has long been agitating for independence from Pakistan, and the Pakistani military has been accused of attempting to crush it through its atrocities. Despite being rich in natural resources, Balochistan is extremely economically backward.

In such a situation, Salman Khan's statement was bound to infuriate Pakistan. While Pakistan found this statement distasteful, Balochistan's separatist leaders expressed their delight and thanked Salman Khan.

However, it is not yet clear whether Salman Khan deliberately mentioned Balochistan separately or it was just a mistake during the conversation.