In 197379 president bhutto dismissed the provincial government of. Abstract one of the most serious threats to the federation of pakistan is the rising insurgency in balochistan. The balochistan conflict is a guerrilla war waged by baloch nationalists against the governments of pakistan and iran in the balochistan region, which covers balochistan province in southwestern pakistan, sistan and baluchestan province in southeastern iran, and the balochistan region of southern afghanistan. Balochistan situated balochistan is situated in the southwest of pakistan and covers an area of 347,190 square kilometers 4,050 sq miles. In this edition of in depth, we talk about the baloch conflict and the hardships the people of balochistan have suffered in the hands of the pakistani establishment. The insurgency in balochistan is a guerrilla war waged by baloch nationalists against the governments of pakistan and iran in the balochistan region, which covers balochistan province in southwestern pakistan, sistan and baluchestan province in southeastern iran, and the balochistan region of southern afghanistan. Ifespk factsheet local government balochistan d15 201211 en page 3 of 4 the number of nonmuslims is fixed by the provincial government based on the population of nonmuslims in the local area. Balochistan has not been a stranger to separatist insurgencies since pakistan gained independence from the british in 1947.
India claims all of jammu and kashmir red areas, while it controls only the southern part of it cf. Education for all plan balochistan 6 executive summary balochistan is the largest province by area of pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total area of pakistan. Balochistan for the last few hundred years, there was rarely any organised violence against them in pakistan. Balochistan conflict 22 mehrgarh 27 references article sources and contributors 31 image sources, licenses and contributors 32 article licenses license 33. Balochistan is pakistans largest province in terms of territory and also its least populated. Balochistan is pakistans largest province by landmass, but smallest by population. Balochistan house is said to be an affiliate of the. The roots of the conflict, like indias kashmir issue, go back to the countrys independence. Balochistan conflict abdul rauf iqbal abstract five times since independence of pakistan, balochistan has caught with insurgency by nationalist forces. The province is bordered by afghanistan to the north and north west, iran to the southwest, punjab and. Balochistan is rich in uranium, copper, coal, gold, silver, platinum and aluminium and provides more than onethird of pakistans natural gas. Though rich in natural resources like natural gas, oil, coal, copper, sulphur, fluoride and gold, it is the most underdeveloped and poor region in pakistan. The insurgency in balochistan is a low intensity insurgency waged by baloch nationalists against the governments of pakistan and iran in the balochistan region, which covers the balochistan province in southwestern pakistan, sistan and baluchestan province in southeastern iran, and the balochistan region of southern afghanistan. Balochistan conflict towards a lasting peace march 2007.
The province is in turmoil and dissenter elements are targeting non baloch population. In 2005, a conflict erupted in the province of balochistan, the largest and least. In 2005, a conflict erupted in the province of balochistan, the largest and least populated of pakistans four provinces, straddling three countriespakistan, iran, and afghanistan. Nearly 70% of the total balochi population lives in balochistan and other provinces of pakistan, whereas about 20% inhabits the southeastern iran or what is irani balochistan. Internal and external factors in balochistan conflict abdul rauf iqbal. The state is now divided between pakistan and iran. Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from wikipedia or other free sources online. Resolving the longstanding baloch conflict on its own terms is central.
Balochistan with heavy mineral potential is the largest 43% of. It is a bub bling cauldron of ethnic, sectarian, secessionist and militant violence, threatening to boil over at any time. Despite several pledges to improve the law and order situation and put an end to human rights abuses in balochistan, pakistans government has. Baloch want greater autonomy, increased royalties from natural resources and. These conflicts were about the one unit policy and military bases in baluchistan. Continued failure to address sectarian violence will only exacerbate the general breakdown in law and order in balochistan. Download pdf balochistan liberation army free online. Disturbed by reports of renewed armed conflict in parts of balochistan that began to pour in during december 2005, an hrcp factfinding team visited the troubled areas nearkohlu and in january, as fighting expanded.
Five times since independence of pakistan, balochistan has caught with. Pakistans balochistan insurgency requires political, not. Pdf understanding the insurgency in balochistan researchgate. The new government of imran khan is repressing opposition voices and yielding to parties propagating sectarianism. The division of balochistan into western and eastern halves temporary lapsed during the 18th century as first the safavid and then the mughal empire, and finally the brief empire of nader shah. The participant speakers included political leaders from balochistan, representatives of civil society and development organizations, media persons and scholars. It also regretted the death of personnel of the paramilitary forces. Rich in natural resources like natural gas, oil, coal, copper. Post 911 balochistan in peace conflict spectrum and. According to the 1998 census, the ethnic makeup of the province includes 55 percent baloch and 29 percent pashtun tribes. It comprises the pakistani province of balochistan, the iranian province of sistan and baluchestan, and the southern areas of afghanistan, including nimruz, helmand and kandahar provinces. Some balochs are demanding autonomy and some are raising slogans of independence.
The second largest ethnic group in balochistan is that of the pashtuns, which has concentration in the northern part of the province and along its border with afghanistan. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Tensions between the government and its baloch opposition have grown because of islamabads heavyhanded armed response to baloch militancy and its refusal to negotiate demands for political and economic autonomy. Mehrgarh, history of balochistan, pakistan, balochistan conflict. Notable measures included the raising of provincial status within a federal structure defined by the 1973 constitution. The conflict in balochistan may further destabilize the fragile region. The state versus the nation today, balochistan is slowly but surely descending into anarchy. The population density of balochistan is very low due to the mountainous terrain and scarcity of. The balochistan liberation front blf, also known as the baloch liberation front, is an ethnicseparatist political front and militant organization that is currently fighting against the pakistani government for an independent balochi state. In addition to the ethnic baloch people, the province also has a sizable ethnic pashtun population. As the province now gains geopolitical importance, more.
This paper will address the unstable politics and ethnicity, resource and development issues, human rights, islamic extremism and terrorist groups, foreign support, and education as the main root. Towards a lasting peace senator sanaullah baloch 1 2. With the federal government refusing to compromise with its baloch opponents, intent on a military solution to a. Abstract simmering tension in balochistan is the cause of multiple factors. Root causes of conflict in baluchistan, pakistan beyond intractability. What is pakistans balochistan insurgency and why is india. Effects and implications on federation of pakistan umbreen javaid. Balochistan is experiencing some of the same cultural and resourcedriven motivations to separate that east pakistan experienced, accented by the same heavyhanded pakistani military mindset that fueled the 1971 crisis.
Abstract balochistans prospects for peace and stability rely on both internal and external factors, none of which seem to be under control. Apfile so where is balochistans decadelong insurgency headed. Root causes of conflict in baluchistan, pakistan beyond. Balochislamabad conflict started during the efforts of developing. Akbar bugti repeatedly quarrelled with islamabad over provincial autonomy. Nawab nauroz khan fought a lone battle as the rest of balochistan did not support the uprising. Among them one is the baloch ethnicity, based on its language, culture and territory. Overall, it contains nearly 20% of the countrys mineral and energy resources.
An analysis of the issue and conflict with state 57 rehana saeed hashmi baloch ethnicity. Add a oneline explanation of what this file represents. India claims some northern areas hatched while other areas are controlled by india but challenged by other countries. The british also encouraged the hazara movement into balochistan from afghanistan. Conflict in balochistan 2 hrcp expressed grave concern over the fact that militants had placed land mines along roads, and appealed to all sides in the conflict to give up violence in favour of a negotiated resolution to the complex issues of the province. About 60 percent of the baloch live in balochistan, a western province in the islamic republic of pakistan. Click download or read online button to get pakistan the balochistan conundrum book now. There is no minimum requirement, however in some cases it. A violent insurgency in the balochmajority districts of. Background of the conflict balochistan is the largest pakistani province in terms of territory, but the smallest in terms of population. A critical appraisal article pdf available in south asia journal of south asian studies 321. Balochistan liberation front mapping militant organizations.
The province of balochistan is riven by multiple cyclical conflicts and is the most fragile in pakistan. Economically, despite rich mineral and gas deposits, it remains poverty stricken. The organization is a participant in the balochistan conflict and strives to establish an independent state of balochistan, free of pakistani and. This is perhaps best described in a recent video testimony by shafiq mengal, once a small player in the conflict but now one. President pervez musharraf and the military are responsible for the worsening of the conflict in balochistan. Although, geographically this is the largest province, demographically it is the smallest and the most underdeveloped federating unit. Post 911 balochistan in peace conflict spectrum and international dimensions dr. Balochistan has witnessed regular insurgencies since pakistan annexed the autonomous baloch state of kalat in 1948. The conflict in the baluchistan province is an ongoing conflict between the inhabitants of the baluchistan province and the government of pakistan. Pak institute for peace studies conducted a roundtable on conflict in balochistan on 4th february 2011 in islamabad. The forgotten conflict in balochistan crisis group. Balochistan conflict papers balochistan national party. Introduction balochistan is a province straddling pakistan. Pakistan the balochistan conundrum download ebook pdf.
In this excerpt from our watch list 2019 for european policymakers, crisis group urges the eu to help pakistan abide by its international commitments and keep supporting democratic governance. A roundtable on conflict in balochistan pak institute. Balochistans areas along the border with afghanistan and iran are also where islamist militants affiliated with lashkarejhangvi have on numerous occasions attacked shiite gatherings. Human rights in balochistan amnesty international usa. Balochistan is pakistans largest, but least developed province, which is home to over million people, mostly balochis. History of balochistan download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Moreover, pakistani balochistan is also a haven for irans baloch sunni islamist rebels who conduct attacks in irans sistan and baluchestan province. Balochistan liberation army is a listed terrorist organization not only under the law of pakistan but also other countries including the uk. Pakistans balochistan insurgency requires political, not military, solution. The balochistan liberation army also baloch liberation army or balochistan liberation army bla is a terrorist group based in balochistan, a mountainous region within southern iran and pakistan. Since then the baloch leadership has made no claims over pashtun areas. The conflict between the province and the federation of pakistan has been amongst the persistent stateprovince contradictions in recent history of counties aasim, 2007.
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