A Tale of Time And Turmoil: Balochistan

The land of unfulfilled promises and contested identities-Balochistan- stands as one of South Asia’s most complex and misunderstood regions. Often making headlines for insurgencies, forceful abductions, or China & Pakistan’s most recent economic corridor, Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest and most resource-rich province.

Illustration by The Geostrata

To understand the region, it is essential to trace the contours of history that have left the area in a perennial state of unrest and political alienation.

AUTONOMY AND RESENTMENT: A HISTORY

The spirit of Balochistan lies in its rugged mountains and arid deserts, which for centuries have acted as a buffer for the Persians, Mughals, and the British, but seldom falling under any centralised control for long. The people of the land, spread across Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, have historically maintained a tribal, decentralised, and independent way of life.

The strategic significance of Balochistan grew with the expansion of the British Empire, which wanted to keep Balochistan as a buffer between its Indian Empire, Persia, and Afghanistan, and provide a strategic space and time for retaliation should the Russians choose to offset the regional balance in the region.

Through a series of treaties with local chieftains, Balochistan was annexed by the British in 1876, merging the territories with the Indian dominion, while leaving the tribal order intact. The Khanate of Kalat was the most significant entity, which retained semi-autonomy under British suzerainty.

In 1947, the emergence of Pakistan as an independent country set the stage for the region’s perpetual struggle, as Pakistan sought to consolidate its territorial integrity. The Baloch people saw it as an imposition that disregarded their identity.

In those difficult times, the Khan of Kalat struggled to leverage his historical treaties with the British, seeking the right to remain independent, but ultimately gave in to political pressure and acceded to Pakistan in 1948- a decision which has remained a bone of contention in Baloch nationalist narratives. Baloch historians have viewed this moment as the genesis of their disenfranchisement within the Pakistani state.

INSURGENCY: THE NEW NORMAL

Demands for greater autonomy, control over natural resources, and sometimes outright independence have triggered five major insurgencies in the region since 1948- the largest being in the 1970s, when the military, under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, held operations to quell nationalist movements- a conflict that deeply wounded the region.

Despite the province being rich in deposits of natural gas, coal, and valuable minerals, much of its population remains mired in poverty. Perception and which is also often the reality, states that the benefits of these resources are siphoned off by the federal government and military establishment, barely trickling down to local communities.

Human rights organisations and Baloch activists have alleged the disappearance of more than a thousand political workers, students, and suspected insurgents over the years, allegedly at the hands of security agencies, further compounding grievances. However, Pakistan has maintained its stance on holding legitimate counter-insurgency operations against separatist groups backed by foreign intelligence services. 

CPEC: DEVELOPMENT OR DISPOSSESSION

Balochistan has been placed at the heart of a new geopolitical calculus given the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship project under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. A further game-changer has been the development of the Gwadar deep-sea port, aiding regional connectivity and national growth.

However, for the people of Balochistan, CPEC represents another wave of external interference. The influx of non-Baloch workers, militarisation of development zones, and lack of local consultation fuel the fears of further marginalisation, in lieu of which the province’s indigenous communities have already targeted Chinese workers and installations, viewing them as symbols of occupation and not opportunity.

A THEATRE OF COMPLEXITY

The Baloch nationalist narrative has been a contested element through the ages- especially since the region lies as a mosaic of ethnic groups- Baloch, Pashtuns, Brahuis, and Hazaras- the Pashtuns constituting a significant portion of the population, complicating the narrative by diverging political aspirations of the region and aligning with Pakistan.

Violence in Balochistan, particularly against the Shia Hazara minority, has added to the region’s instability- giving rise to extremist groups like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which have barbarously targeted Hazaras in bombings and shootings.

Today, Balochistan stands between its rich heritage and fraught politics - it lies between potential and peril. A land of great strategic value, yet a province that remains devoid of basic healthcare, education, and employment.

A recent turn of events culminated in a major development on May 14, 2025, when Balochistan’s leaders formally declared independence from Pakistan, proclaiming the establishment of the “Republic of Balochistan”- an act accompanied by appeals for international recognition and support.

In such times, life for an ordinary Baloch is a balancing act between tribal loyalties, a growing sense of ethnic consciousness, and survival in a landscape defined by militarisation and economic disparity. While some cling to the hope that CPEC and other projects might eventually uplift the region, others fear it will further cement their dispossession.

The question of Balochistan’s future is inseparable from Pakistan’s trajectory — whether it can move towards a more inclusive federal structure that respects regional identities and local governance, or whether it remains caught in cycles of coercion and rebellion- only the coming tide of history will decide.

---

BY AAVRITI CHAUHAN

TEAM GEOSTRATA

info@thegeostrata.com