Mir Hammal

Remembering Mir Hammal: A brave Baloch

It is a well-known fact that dominant nations have always endeavored hard to bring the weaker nations under their control in order to have access over their resources. If we turn over the pages of history, we will conclude that vulnerable nations have always been fighting for their survival and the stronger have been spreading their reach in every nook and corner of the world by using various tactics. However, in this race European countries have been in forefront there might not be a region where they not utilized their clout whether that was Asia or Africa, Australia or America wherever they could reach they turned those territories into their colonies.

In this race Balochistan was also one of their early targets. It is said that the sea (Arabian ocean) of Balochistan provided a pivotal route for trade through which most of trade took place with Gulf countries and Middle East. It was the period of 16^th century when Portuguese pirates started looting the trade ships that used the Mekhran coast. In the mean time some Portuguese pirates looted Mir Hammal’s trade ships and killed the sailors. Due to this Mir Hammal decided that he would take revenge and make the pirates run away from the coastal area of Balochistan. Mir Hammal was the only ruler of huge Mekhran coast line at that time and he also had a small trained sea Army for depending his oceans from pirates and outsiders. Being born in a Baloch family, he was trained in early age and knew the all tricks of battle. His father’s name was Jehend and was the native of a small village, Kalmat situated in Mekhran. Mir Hammal attacked numerous times on these pirates and damaged their several boats; in the retaliation of attack, Portuguese pirates came with full strength in the intention to occupy Balochistan burnt the houses of the people who were living in Mekhran coast; such as Pasini, Gwadar and Jewani, but Mir Hammal was not ready to leave the ground. He stood up strongly and stormed on Portuguese quite a few times, snatched their boats and arms and made them run away from the area. Moreover, he formed a small force which was based on a number of boats and this force tangled with the Portuguese pirates whenever they dared to come near the coast; because of his high-octane defense Portuguese were compelled to sign up a peace treaty with Baloch in which it was made sure from Portuguese side that they would not enter Balochistan and also Mir Hammal assured Portuguese that they can freely make use of this route for trade. After the peace treaty situation turned normal, the people who had run away from the villages started setting once again and the trade between the countries started from this route.

During peace time, Portuguese broke the treaty and arrested Mir Hammal. It is said that Mir Hammal used to visit the coastal areas on his boats. Once he was on usual trade mission to Gulf region, the Portuguese armed ships attacked half way on his boat near Oman. Unfortunately, he did not have any kind of sea force at that time and he was only with the sailors and workers in the boat who cowardly ran away, but Mir Hammal did not surrender himself, he single handedly continued his resistance, but after some hours of combating, he was arrested and taken to Muscat which was under the control of Portuguese at that time, he was offered a gigantic amount of money to become their puppet and help them for occupying Balochistan, but he denied and he was not ready to make his nation slave at any rate, because of his reluctance, he was sentenced to death. Mir Hammal’s name is written with bold letters in Baloch history since he defeated the Portuguese forces which were dominant on scores of nation at that time. However, due to Mir Hammal’s bravery and love for the mother land European could not conquer Balochistan for coming three centuries.

                                            GULAB BALOCH

The writer is a Teacher at an English language institution in Turbat Balochistan.

                                                         Email: gulabbaloch30@yahoo.com