Insurgency in Balochistan

Abstract

Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan in terms of territory and is equally resourceful. Due to decades of remorse and hostility toward the federation, it has witnessed several years of deprivation and waves of ethno-nationalist insurgency. Since the inception of Pakistan, a number of social, sectarian, economic, ethnic and political reasons have contributed to this insurgency. However, over the years, a predominantly secular separatist struggle has turned into sectarian and ethnic conflict, primarily after the death of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti in unfortunate circumstances. Moreover, as this paper argues, these communal rifts among Baloch are being supported and exploited by external actors for the sake of their own interests.