Fatal Realities of Political Turmoil and Human Suffering in Balochistan

Pakistan’s government created a conflicted territory in Balochistan province, known for its geographical significance, safe havens for radical groups, and a humanitarian crisis. Balochistan has a history of political turmoil that has neglected its inhabitants’ rights. Dirty politics have wasted Balochistan’s human resources and affected its tourism industry, which could boost Pakistan’s economy. External powers’ interventions have maligned Balochistan’s status. Balochistan is an establishment-created, chaotic territory that jeopardizes its resources. The following factors reveal the fatal reality of the district:

Forceful Consolidation

Before Pakistan’s independence, Balochistan comprised four princely states: Kalat, Lasbela, Kharan, and Makran. Three months prior to Pakistan’s independence, the government negotiated with British rulers to declare Balochistan a sovereign state under Khan of Kalat. However, in 1947, the government changed its stance and sought Balochistan’s merger with Pakistan. In February 1948, the Governor General visited Sibi, Balochistan, to persuade the Khan of Kalat to accede to Pakistan. On March 28, without Kalat’s consent, the decision was made and announced. On March 26, the Pakistan Army showed aggression by moving into Balochistan’s territory, forcing Khan of Kalat to accept Pakistan’s demand. Since then, Balochistan has been oppressed by government officials.

Balochistan After March 1948

Balochistan became part of Pakistan in March 1948, when Khan of Kalat agreed to merge with West Pakistan. This accession made Balochistan strategically important due to its geographical significance, bordering Iran, Afghanistan, and the Arabian Sea. As the largest province in Pakistan, covering approximately 347,190km², Balochistan is rich in natural resources like oil, gas, copper, and gold. However, despite these benefits, Balochistan has become a war zone with no facilities, depriving people of education, proper housing, and occupying places with rebels. The state’s ill-treatment has led to a hidden reality of unspoken suffering. Major consequences began in 2006 with the killing of Sardar Akber Bughti and his tribesmen by the Pakistani Army, followed by the disappearance of local people. The arrest of BNP leader Sardar Akhter Mengal on terrorism charges for planning to protest against Pervez Musharraf has added to the challenges, instabilities, and insurgencies in Balochistan since its accession.

Ambiguity of Disappearances and Detentions

A perilous act of disappearances and detentions is destabilizing the health, education, and living standards of the inhabitants of Balochistan. Many individuals, especially males who are the breadwinners of their households, are being disappeared without specific reasons. Females are also victimized by this act, with cases of Baloch female activists being abducted and sold in Punjab province as far back as the 1970s. Sher Mohammad Marri, a famous leader, revealed in an interview that he had bought Baloch women to free them during his visit to Punjab.

These disappeared individuals are often connected to liberation forces demanding their rights and freedom. As a result, there is a history of missing people in Balochistan, with families protesting against the state to find their loved ones. They join campaigns and fight for years to see their loved ones again, sacrificing their education, livelihood, and well-being in the process. Many activists from liberation parties have been abducted, including Dr. Deen Mohammad, Zahid Baloch, Shabbir Baloch, Hani Gul, and Muhammad Naseem Baloch. Despite claims by former Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakkar and former Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti that there are only 50 cases of disappearances, the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances recorded over 2000 cases in 2024, highlighting the severity of the issue.

Involvement of External Powers and Separatism

Pakistan’s economic crisis has led the government to seek economic benefits from external powers, resulting in involvement in projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. CPEC has strategically positioned Gwadar, a city in Balochistan, as a transit route for trade in Central Asia, the Middle East, and as an alternative route to the South China Sea. In the past, the US has used Pakistan’s airspace to counter its opponents in the name of the war on terror. Recently, the US has shown interest in using Pakistan’s airspace for spying on Iran, following Iranian strikes on Israel. External powers are not only driving development in Balochistan but also fueling separatism and raising concerns about external attacks. For instance, Iran’s attack on Balochistan territory, targeting the radical party Jaish al-Adl, led to Pakistan’s retaliation, resulting in the loss of innocent lives on both sides, rather than resolving the issue through bilateral talks.

External powers have intervened, fueling separatism and compromising the province’s resources.

Pakistan’s province of Balochistan is struggling with the presence of separatist groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which has strong ties to the Afghan Taliban, and the Balochistan Liberation Army, responsible for suicide bombing attacks. These groups are contributing to the fracturing of resourceful assets.

This is the fatal reality of Balochistan province: foreign intervention, separatist movements, and state negligence are compromising the tourism industry, which could boost Pakistan’s economy. The Gwadar port could be an economic hub for Pakistan, trading petroleum products and essentials. However, these benefits are enjoyed only by external powers, not Pakistan. The Gwadar port, significant for outsiders, lacks development, has poor infrastructure, and is constantly threatened by India due to its strategic location. The Pakistani government needs to protect its land by making policies for accountability and limiting external powers’ involvement to achieve economic success, reducing the threat of Baloch separatists who believe their land is being occupied in the name of economic activities.

Evaluation of Balochistan

Balochistan remains in a destructive position due to various factors, including its history and political status since its consolidation with Pakistan. The province faces issues such as the disappearance of its people, external interventions, and safe havens for separatists. These factors contribute to Pakistan’s economic fragility.

For instance, Balochistan is not only strategically rich but also has beautiful destinations that attract hundreds of tourists. However, due to attacks and a lack of development, many are unaware of or avoid the beauty of Balochistan. The province has many attractive places that could invite people to experience and invest in Pakistan’s economy through Balochistan’s heritage, such as Charo Machi waterfall, Astola Island Pasni, Pishukan Gwadar, Bolan, and Pir Ibrahim Khuzdar.

Furthermore, youngsters in Balochistan struggle to access education in their own province. Many have to travel long distances to achieve their goals. For example, Turbat city has a schooling system, but many are deprived of quality education, forcing them to travel to other provinces for higher education. It is shocking that the largest province, with an economic hub like Gwadar, has no growth in the tourism and education sectors due to poor planning, policy making, and governance. How can Pakistan stabilize its economy with such poor management of its resources?

A large number of assets are being compromised due to insurgencies, threats, and inadequate development. To address this, the government needs to take measures to:

• Improve educational facilities
• Provide security to counter separatist attacks
• Address disappearance and detention cases to mitigate rising threats
• Prevent foreign powers from conducting spying activities
• Stop allowing other powers to use Pakistan’s bases for economic activities that are not beneficial to Pakistan

Strong policies are needed to reduce these problems. The government should work to protect the rights of its people and provide justice to the natives. This would improve the conditions in the province and contribute to Pakistan’s economic success.

If the government fails to take action against those responsible, there will be no change in the economy, and Pakistan will remain dependent on economic assistance instead of becoming an economic power.

Balochistan has the potential to be a great investment for Pakistan due to its natural resources and strategic significance, but this requires better policies and good governance.

Unfortunately, the current terrible conditions in Balochistan suggest that Bangladesh made the right decision in gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971.

The author is an International Relations Graduate from Karachi University.