Balochistan is the westernmost province of Pakistan and is connected with Iran and Afghanistan. Balochistan is the longest and less populated province and almost covers 43% of the land with an area of 347190 sqm. Primarily Baloch and Pashtuns are the two major cultural groups of the province. It is resource-rich but unfortunately the poorest province of the state. The region is economically, socially, and politically marginalized by the federal government. It has geostrategic importance due to its location. But the law-and-order situation is unstable in the province, and it has been dealing with terrorism for the last two decades. It is going to be the trade hub and a game changer for Pakistan due to Gwadar port.
There has been a security dilemma from the beginning as Pakistan invaded the territory of Kalat and forced Khan Ahmad yar khan to sign a merger document and Pakistan has formally annexed Balochistan. On 18 August 1947 khan of Kalat the head of state declared Baluchistan as a separate state but after 10 months in July 1948 khan of Kalat declared the region as a part of Pakistan. His brother prince Abdul Karim and another Baloch Nawab Nouroz khan started rebelling against the decision and started fighting against the government of that time.
No provincial government has completed its term due to the interference of the federal government. The Baloch nationalist parties need to make a coalition with mainstream parties in the federal to get support in making government in Balochistan. In the first three decades of the Pakistani government, there were only 4 cabinet members who were ethnically Baloch out of 179 cabinet members. Balochistan is an economically deprived province, and its resources are being exploited by the state. Balochistan is a resource-rich land and makes up 4% of Pakistan’s GDP and 40% of natural gas is being supplied to the country. Balochistan uses 17% of the available resources, while the remaining 83% are sent to the state. Various projects are being run by Chinese companies with the help of the state; reko diq, Gwadar international port, CPEC, and saindak project but peoples in Balochistan feel that these projects are instruments of colonization they give more services to the state but have no utility. The Chinese company took Gwadar on a 40-year lease in which 48% goes to the company itself, 50% goes to the state and only 2% will be rewarded to Balochistan.
Now we are in the fifth phase of insurgency from 2004 which is still going on and the longest and most violent one. Previous ones were in 1948, the 1950s and 1960s, and 1970s. The uprising is weak but they are fighting anyway groups are divided and have multiple internal issues regarding the autonomy of the province. (BLA, BRA, BRF, UBA,) and many other groups are there but BLA and BRA are the most prominent groups led by Dr. Allah Nazr and Brahmadagh Bugti. Baloch student organization (BSO) established in the 1960s is the most influential organization in manipulating the minds of the youth of Baluchistan and aligned with the Balochistan liberation army. Most of the middle class is being influenced by BSO towards nationalism and the separatist movement. The separatist movement is changing as traditionally the leadership was in the hands of nawabs and sardars of tribes but the current situation is different the middle class and well-educated youth are taking over the command of insurgent groups.
Moreover After 2006 the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti fouled the fire of insurgency increased and the brutal operation has been started by the security forces against these so-called nationalists which are still active, and they are presently increasing their number. The actions of security forces increased the ethnic tension in the province, and the targeted killing of non-Baloch mainly the Punjabis have been being in 2009 and about 200 deaths occurred in 1st half of 2009. So, it could not be wrong if someone says that security forces have been fighting against the insurgents for the last two decades. However, they achieve some success but the instability still is present and they are a big threat to mega projects like CPEC, which is going to be a game changer for Pakistan. And there is another perception that security forces are violating human rights through their actions, death squads, fake encounters, and forced disappearance of people especially the youth of Balochistan. The courts of Pakistan failed to question security forces about their actions and the breaking of laws. So, this is a big question why the supreme court of Pakistan is still silent on these unlawful acts? And these types of insecurities make people feel that no one in Islamabad can listen to the innocent voices of the Baloch people. So, for the future of their motherland, they have to join the separatist movement. People back in Balochistan have grievances that their provincial sovereignty is being undermined, and exploitation of resources and the allocation is not being done on a merit basis. The local people of Balochistan are not getting benefits from the project rather people from outside Balochistan are more benefit. Balochistan still is an underpeopled province.
Lack of basic facilities in the education and health sector which are the essential need of any region. According to the census of 2017, the literacy rate of Balochistan is less than 43%.and as per another report 63 deaths per 100 births in the province, which is equivalent to Punjab, the state’s highest populated province.
The experiment of a nuclear bomb has been tested in the famous hills of Chaghi and people affected by different diseases, there is no proper hospital for them and there is nothing regarding development. The federal government ought to deal with the many issues which are in the thoughts of the Baloch people regarding economic immobility and development issues to prevent further insecurity among the Baloch people. Despite 76 years of ongoing resistance, the insurgency remains active, growing even more, and just changing its stages. State officials are contemplating a military solution to a political and economic issue.
So, the Balochistan insurgency could be solved through soft power on a round table and only the political solution could change this chaos in Baluchistan there is a need to work on development projects and make sure to improve the lives of the single entity back in Baluchistan. An essential need of Balochistan is education if the youth is educated they would be more patriotic and loyal to the state, so there is an emerging need for cadet colleges, military colleges, and functioning existing schools.
