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Bollywood actor Salman Khan is in serious trouble with the Pakistani government after a comment he made recently about Balochistan. According to reports, the Pakistani government declared the actor a terrorist and placed him on the ‘4th Schedule’ of the anti-terrorism law.
This is a significant development, as the 4th Schedule is part of Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997. It’s a list of people the government suspects of being involved in terrorism.
During the discussion, Salman said, “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.”
His mention of Balochistan as distinct from Pakistan has drawn sharp criticism from Islamabad, which views the province as an integral part of the country. In contrast, Baloch separatist leaders have praised Salman for his words. Mir Yar Baloch, a prominent advocate for Baloch independence, said the actor had “brought joy to six crore Baloch people,” calling it an act of “soft diplomacy” that acknowledged their struggle for identity and recognition.
Balochistan — Pakistan’s largest but least developed province — has long faced economic neglect, political repression, and military crackdowns. Despite its vast mineral wealth, the region continues to grapple with poverty, with over 70% of its population living below the poverty line.
