Special Report: The Balochistan Conflict in Pakistan
- Genocide Watch
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
By Michał Jagielski
Senior Iran and Central Asia Team Leader
Genocide Watch
The conflict between the state of Pakistan and Balochistan has been ongoing since the 1940s. Its nature and intensity have changed throughout the years, as both sides adapt and respond to global and regional developments. However, the immense suffering of the civilian population has been consistent. Even during relatively calm years, the Balochs’ livelihoods were made worse by state initiatives designed to cripple their political proficiency and dilute their culture and identity. Insufficient investments in the province directly impacted their futures and capability for upward social mobility. Outbreaks of violence and armed clashes between the military and the separatists put the civilians in the crossfire. Despite claiming that they act in the best interests of the Baloch, terrorist movements have accepted the civilian toll as a necessary sacrifice in their quest for autonomy. In a similar vein, the state and its security branches have taken extreme steps to combat the spread of Baloch nationalism, threatening, kidnapping, and murdering civilians they suspect of having links to the movement.
Both sides have committed countless atrocities against each other and against the civilians. What began as a struggle for Baloch autonomy has transformed into a prolonged intra-state conflict in which no party has any respect for human rights or international law. The state’s actions throughout its existence have not been designed to address the underlying issues which gave rise to the Baloch nationalist movement. Instead, they have aimed to stifle any form of dissent in favor of absolute centralization.
Islamabad has an inherent responsibility to care for and protect all of its citizens, regardless of their ethnic allegiances. If it truly wants to end the conflict, it has to first rebuild the Balochs’ trust in state institutions and address the abuses it has committed against the community.
Full report:
