Lahore: The self-proclaimed ‘Republic of Balochistan’ and its backers celebrated August 11 as their Independence day. Though Balochistan is internationally recognised as a province of Pakistan, the rebel group seized control of the majority of the region and declared independence last month. In the ‘Message of Independence of the Republic of Balochistan’, the group thanked international media organisations, particularly those in India, as well as researchers and thinktanks that it said had highlighted the Balochistan issue globally. Mir Baloch said the independence claim was rooted in events surrounding the end of British rule in the Indian subcontinent. According to the group, Balochistan declared independence on August 11, 1947, shortly before the partition of British India.