If someone believes India is Pakistan’s biggest enemy, they are mistaken. Decades ago, such a statement would have been dismissed as a joke, but today, Pakistan’s greatest challenge lies within its borders: the province of Balochistan. As Pakistan’s largest province, Balochistan seeks independence, and its ongoing conflict with the central government has escalated dramatically. In the past week alone, Pakistan faced 57 terrorist attacks, including a train hijacking and an assault on an armored truck in Balochistan’s Noshki District, claiming 30 army personnel.
Balochistan’s history predates Pakistan’s by at least two days. It gained independence on August 12, 1947, and remained free until March 27, 1948, when Pakistan annexed it. The term “Pakistan” emerged in 1933 through Rehmat Ali’s Pakistan Declaration at Cambridge University, while “Baluchi” appeared in scholarly writings as early as the 10th century. Initially, even Mohammed Ali Jinnah supported Balochistan’s autonomy. However, in 1948, Balochistan had no interest in joining Pakistan. The Pakistani army forcibly compelled Ahmad Yar Khan, Balochistan’s ruler, to sign the Instrument of Accession. Pakistan viewed this as a legal process; Khan saw it as annexation. His brother, Abdul Kareem, led the first armed revolt in 1948 with his soldiers, which persisted until 1950. The Balochistan Liberation Army’s (BLA) resistance was ultimately crushed by Pakistani forces. To prevent future uprisings, Pakistan introduced the One Unit policy in 1955, consolidating all of West Pakistan’s provinces into a single administrative unit, stripping them of autonomy. Balochistan perceived this as betrayal, sparking another revolt in 1958 led by Nawab Nowroz Khan. This was suppressed by 1960, and despite Khan’s surrender on the condition of his family’s safety, his sons and nephews were executed. A third revolt, led by Sher Mohammed Marri in 1963, demanded the abolition of the One Unit policy. This ended in 1970 when General Yahya Khan dissolved the policy, restoring some provincial rights. In 1972, Balochistan held its first provincial elections, electing Ataullah Mengal as Chief Minister. However, Pakistan’s central government, under Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, barred him from taking office and sent troops to arrest him, triggering a fourth revolt in 1973. The Marri and Mengal tribes led this uprising, and Pakistan, with helicopter support from Iran’s Mohammad Reza Shah, quelled it, resulting in 5,000 deaths.
These four revolts—in 1948, 1958, 1963, and 1973—shared a common demand: provincial autonomy for Balochistan. Pakistan’s response was consistent—not dialogue, but force. This pattern persists today, fueling the ongoing conflict with the BLA, which began in 2004. Many Balochis now believe Pakistan illegally annexed their land. What started as a call for autonomy has evolved into a demand for full independence. So, what does Balochistan truly want?
At its core, Balochistan seeks to end economic exploitation. The province is rich in resources—gold, silver, iron, crude oil, and natural gas—yet remains impoverished. Pakistan’s central government extracts these resources without reinvesting in Balochistan’s development. Known as Pakistan’s “fruit basket,” Balochistan boasts mines like Reko Diq and Saindak, which draw global interest for their gold and iron reserves. Spanning 44% of Pakistan’s landmass but home to less than 10% of its population, many Balochis live below the poverty line. Pakistan’s decision-making hub, Punjab, issues directives that prioritize its interests, leaving Balochistan feeling like a colony. Some argue this serves Pakistan’s aim to exploit resources or appease its Chinese partners. In recent years, the BLA has forged ties with the Taliban and Iran, posing a greater threat to Pakistan than any perceived Indian interference.
The BLA has increasingly targeted Chinese interests, particularly the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which funds infrastructure like roads, bridges, and ports, much of it in Balochistan. The BLA views CPEC as China’s ploy to exploit their resources. The group has attacked Chinese workers, engineers, and personnel, claiming responsibility for multiple strikes and warning that no Chinese project is safe in Balochistan. These actions stem from economic grievances and a darker issue: the disappearance of approximately 14,000 Balochis over the past decade, as reported by the United Nations and Human Rights Watch. While the BLA’s methods are not defensible, their attempts at dialogue have been met with severe repression by Pakistan’s government.