Balochistan, or Baluchistan, is a province in Pakistan, the largest in the country by geographical area. It contains most of the historical region of Balochistan and is named after the Baloch. Its neighbouring regions are Iranian Balochistan to the west, Afghanistan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to the north and Punjab and Sindh to the east. To the south is the Arabian Sea. The principal languages in the province are Baluchi, Brahui, Sindhi and Pashto. The capital and largest city is Quetta. Balochistan is believed to be rich in mineral resources. It is the second major, after Sindh, supplier of natural gas to the country.
Balochistan is located at the eastern edge of the Iranian plateau and in the border region between Southwest, Central, and South Asia. It is geographically the largest of the four provinces at 347,190 km² or (134,051 square miles) of Pakistani territory; and composes 48% of the total land area of Pakistan. The population density is very low due to the mountainous terrain and scarcity of water. The southern region is known as Makran. The central region is known as Kalat.
The Sulaiman Mountains dominate the northeast corner and the Bolan Pass is a natural route into Afghanistan towards Kandahar and was used as a route during the British campaigns to Afghanistan. Much of the province south of the Quetta region is sparse desert terrain with pockets of towns mostly near rivers and streams.
The capital city is Quetta, located in the most densely populated district in the northeast of the province. Quetta is situated in a river valley near the border with Afghanistan, with a road to Kandahar in the northwest.
At Gwadar on the coast the Pakistani government is currently undertaking a large project with Chinese help to build a large port. This is being done partially to provide the Pakistan Navy with another base, and to reduce Pakistan's reliance on Karachi and Port Qasim, which are currently the only major ports.
Very cold winters and hot summers characterise the climate of the upper highlands. Winters of the lower highlands vary from extremely cold in the northern districts to mild conditions closer to the Makran coast. Summers are hot and dry, especially the arid zones of Chaghai and Kharan districts. The plain areas are also very hot in summer with temperatures rising as high as 120 °F (50 °C). Winters are mild on the plains with the temperature never falling below the freezing point. The desert climate is characterised by hot and very arid conditions. Occasionally strong windstorms make these areas very inhospitable.
Balochistan has a population of around 10 million inhabitants. Overall, the Baloch and Brohi tribes comprise around 62% of the province's population. However migration & settlement by other ethnic groups has greatly reduced the Baloch population of the area & some of the baloch have moved to other areas in South Punjab, Sindh & Karachi. The rest are mainly Pashtuns, Hazaras and Sindhis. Baloch are concentrated in the sparsely populated north-west, west, east and south; Brohis in the centre of the province, mainly living by cattle-herding, manual laboring & fishing on the coasts. While the Pashtuns are the majority in the north. Quetta, the capital of the province, has a Pashtun majority with Baloch, Hazaras and Punjabi minorities. Near the Kalat region and other parts of the province there are significant numbers of Brahui speakers. Along the coast various Makrani Balochis predominate. In addition, 769,000 Afghan refugees can be found in the province including Pashtuns, Tajiks, and Hazaras. Many Sindhi farmers have also moved to the more arable lands in the east. There are also a growing number of other(s) ethnic groups consisting of Kurdish, Panjabi, Mohajir and Iranians who have made Balochistan their home in recent decades.
There were two devastating earthquakes in Balochistan during British colonial rule: The 1935 Balochistan Earthquake devastated Quetta and the 1945 Balochistan Earthquake, with its epicentre in Makran region, was felt in other regions of South Asia.
Since the 1970s there has been some small-scale violence in the area by ethnic Balochi tribesmen (mainly Bugti, Marri & Mengal tribes) agitating for increased provincial autonomy, and control of natural resources. Additionally, a few fighters even demanded outright secession of the provinces in Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan in order to create an independent homeland which would not only have included ethnically Baluchi areas, but also places which had only a very tiny Balochi population, such as Karachi, Bandar Abbas, Quetta, northern parts of Pakistani Balochistan (which is inhabited by Pashtuns), central Balochistan (inhabited by Brahuis), western Sindh province, and some areas around Kandahar, Afghanistan. The reasoning behind claiming such a huge swath of non-Balochi land is likely due to economics: Karachi (Mohajir & Sindhi majority) is a major economic center of about 16 million people (compared to the estimated 12 million Balochis in all countries), Bandar Abbas (Iranian Majority) is a thriving Iranian port, and Sindh (Sindhi majority) has huge deposits of natural gas. The area had been badly affected by fighting and instability in Afghanistan, with arms and refugees flooding the province. Small attacks have occurred against coal miners, oil prospectors, and energy infrastructure.
There has been major attacks on Shias by Sunni extremist groups in Quetta & other cities, resulting in the death of more than a hundred people. Government crackdown on Sunni extremist groups resulted in the arrest & trial of members of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi & Sipah-e-Sahaba terrorist groups including Daud Badini & his cohorts. Many of these extremists were of Baloch & Brahui ethnicity & were from Quetta, Chagai & Mastung areas. 2 terrorist attacks were conducted on a Shia Mosque/Imambargah (2004, 54 dead) & a Shia Ashura possession of Imam Hussein (2004, 70 dead). Most of those killed were of Hazara ethnicity.
On 15 June 2006, an estimated 600 fighters, led by three commanders, agreed to lay down their weapons after talks with Shoaib Nausherwani, Baluchistan's minister for internal affairs, in Dera Bugti district.
In 1998 Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in Ras Koh and in the Kharan desert, both in the Kharan District in north-western Balochistan. After Musharraf's coup against the Nawaz Sharif Government, the separatist insurgency resurfaced, focusing mainly on attacks on innocent civilians.
Government
The unicameral Provincial Assembly of Balochistan comprises 65 seats of which 4% are reserved for non-Muslims and 16% for women only.
Economy
The economy of the province is largely based upon the production of natural gas, coal and minerals. Outside Quetta, the infrastructure of the province is gradually developing but still lags far behind other parts of Pakistan. Tourism remains limited but has increased due to the exotic appeal of the province. Limited farming in the east as well as fishing along the Arabian Sea coastline are other forms of income and sustenance for the local populations. Due to the tribal lifestyle of many Baluch and Brahui, animal husbandry is important as are trading bazaars found throughout the province.
Though the province remains largely underdeveloped, there are currently several major development projects in progress in Balochistan, including the construction of a new deep sea port at the strategically important town of Gwadar. The port is projected to be the hub of an energy and trade corridor to and from China and the Central Asian republics. There is considerable Chinese involvement in the project, leading some to consider Gwadar it as the Chinese outpost on the Arabian Sea. The total cost of the project is estimated at more than US$2 billion. China has also invested in a coastal highway to link Gwadar with Pakistan's largest city, Karachi.
Further west is the Mirani Dam multipurpose project, on the River Dasht, 50 kilometres west of Turbat in the Makran Division. It will provide dependable irrigation supplies for the development of agriculture and add more than 35,000 km² of arable land.
Education
There are five main public universities in Balochistan, as well as several private institutions.
Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology
Balochistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences
Command and Staff College
Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University
University of Balochistan
Social issues
In recent years, the presence of Afghan refugees disrupted the delicate ethnic balance in the province by making the Pashtuns at least numerically equal to the Baloch. The Baloch tribes have been the most prone to rebellion in Pakistan, in part due to their fiercely independent lifestyle as well as complaints at the lack of development and attention from the central government in Islamabad. These complaints have been partially addressed as the government has set-up schools and improved infrastructure near major settlements. Balochistan remains one of the most conservative provinces in Pakistan and women are expected to wear the hijab unlike in many large cities.
The Baloch adhere to a clan-like structure and code of honour called mayar that bears some resemblance to Pashtunwali, but with significant differences including the Baloch hierarchy and allegiance to Sardars and subordinate Waderas, both tribal chieftains, that the more individualistic and egalitarian Pashtuns lack. The Sardars remain prominent in the province thanks in part to the British who boosted their authority. While many sardars encourage development and progress of their respective regions, many others are undermining federal initiates fearing that development of their regions will result in them losing their traditional and unquestionable authority over the local population. The Government of Pakistan has tried multiple approaches to appease both the local population and the tribal Sardars who exert considerable influence.
Balochistan is located at the eastern edge of the Iranian plateau and in the border region between Southwest, Central, and South Asia. It is geographically the largest of the four provinces at 347,190 km² or (134,051 square miles) of Pakistani territory; and composes 48% of the total land area of Pakistan. The population density is very low due to the mountainous terrain and scarcity of water. The southern region is known as Makran. The central region is known as Kalat.
The Sulaiman Mountains dominate the northeast corner and the Bolan Pass is a natural route into Afghanistan towards Kandahar and was used as a route during the British campaigns to Afghanistan. Much of the province south of the Quetta region is sparse desert terrain with pockets of towns mostly near rivers and streams.
The capital city is Quetta, located in the most densely populated district in the northeast of the province. Quetta is situated in a river valley near the border with Afghanistan, with a road to Kandahar in the northwest.
At Gwadar on the coast the Pakistani government is currently undertaking a large project with Chinese help to build a large port. This is being done partially to provide the Pakistan Navy with another base, and to reduce Pakistan's reliance on Karachi and Port Qasim, which are currently the only major ports.
Very cold winters and hot summers characterise the climate of the upper highlands. Winters of the lower highlands vary from extremely cold in the northern districts to mild conditions closer to the Makran coast. Summers are hot and dry, especially the arid zones of Chaghai and Kharan districts. The plain areas are also very hot in summer with temperatures rising as high as 120 °F (50 °C). Winters are mild on the plains with the temperature never falling below the freezing point. The desert climate is characterised by hot and very arid conditions. Occasionally strong windstorms make these areas very inhospitable.
Balochistan has a population of around 10 million inhabitants. Overall, the Baloch and Brohi tribes comprise around 62% of the province's population. However migration & settlement by other ethnic groups has greatly reduced the Baloch population of the area & some of the baloch have moved to other areas in South Punjab, Sindh & Karachi. The rest are mainly Pashtuns, Hazaras and Sindhis. Baloch are concentrated in the sparsely populated north-west, west, east and south; Brohis in the centre of the province, mainly living by cattle-herding, manual laboring & fishing on the coasts. While the Pashtuns are the majority in the north. Quetta, the capital of the province, has a Pashtun majority with Baloch, Hazaras and Punjabi minorities. Near the Kalat region and other parts of the province there are significant numbers of Brahui speakers. Along the coast various Makrani Balochis predominate. In addition, 769,000 Afghan refugees can be found in the province including Pashtuns, Tajiks, and Hazaras. Many Sindhi farmers have also moved to the more arable lands in the east. There are also a growing number of other(s) ethnic groups consisting of Kurdish, Panjabi, Mohajir and Iranians who have made Balochistan their home in recent decades.
There were two devastating earthquakes in Balochistan during British colonial rule: The 1935 Balochistan Earthquake devastated Quetta and the 1945 Balochistan Earthquake, with its epicentre in Makran region, was felt in other regions of South Asia.
Since the 1970s there has been some small-scale violence in the area by ethnic Balochi tribesmen (mainly Bugti, Marri & Mengal tribes) agitating for increased provincial autonomy, and control of natural resources. Additionally, a few fighters even demanded outright secession of the provinces in Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan in order to create an independent homeland which would not only have included ethnically Baluchi areas, but also places which had only a very tiny Balochi population, such as Karachi, Bandar Abbas, Quetta, northern parts of Pakistani Balochistan (which is inhabited by Pashtuns), central Balochistan (inhabited by Brahuis), western Sindh province, and some areas around Kandahar, Afghanistan. The reasoning behind claiming such a huge swath of non-Balochi land is likely due to economics: Karachi (Mohajir & Sindhi majority) is a major economic center of about 16 million people (compared to the estimated 12 million Balochis in all countries), Bandar Abbas (Iranian Majority) is a thriving Iranian port, and Sindh (Sindhi majority) has huge deposits of natural gas. The area had been badly affected by fighting and instability in Afghanistan, with arms and refugees flooding the province. Small attacks have occurred against coal miners, oil prospectors, and energy infrastructure.
There has been major attacks on Shias by Sunni extremist groups in Quetta & other cities, resulting in the death of more than a hundred people. Government crackdown on Sunni extremist groups resulted in the arrest & trial of members of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi & Sipah-e-Sahaba terrorist groups including Daud Badini & his cohorts. Many of these extremists were of Baloch & Brahui ethnicity & were from Quetta, Chagai & Mastung areas. 2 terrorist attacks were conducted on a Shia Mosque/Imambargah (2004, 54 dead) & a Shia Ashura possession of Imam Hussein (2004, 70 dead). Most of those killed were of Hazara ethnicity.
On 15 June 2006, an estimated 600 fighters, led by three commanders, agreed to lay down their weapons after talks with Shoaib Nausherwani, Baluchistan's minister for internal affairs, in Dera Bugti district.
In 1998 Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in Ras Koh and in the Kharan desert, both in the Kharan District in north-western Balochistan. After Musharraf's coup against the Nawaz Sharif Government, the separatist insurgency resurfaced, focusing mainly on attacks on innocent civilians.
Government
The unicameral Provincial Assembly of Balochistan comprises 65 seats of which 4% are reserved for non-Muslims and 16% for women only.
Economy
The economy of the province is largely based upon the production of natural gas, coal and minerals. Outside Quetta, the infrastructure of the province is gradually developing but still lags far behind other parts of Pakistan. Tourism remains limited but has increased due to the exotic appeal of the province. Limited farming in the east as well as fishing along the Arabian Sea coastline are other forms of income and sustenance for the local populations. Due to the tribal lifestyle of many Baluch and Brahui, animal husbandry is important as are trading bazaars found throughout the province.
Though the province remains largely underdeveloped, there are currently several major development projects in progress in Balochistan, including the construction of a new deep sea port at the strategically important town of Gwadar. The port is projected to be the hub of an energy and trade corridor to and from China and the Central Asian republics. There is considerable Chinese involvement in the project, leading some to consider Gwadar it as the Chinese outpost on the Arabian Sea. The total cost of the project is estimated at more than US$2 billion. China has also invested in a coastal highway to link Gwadar with Pakistan's largest city, Karachi.
Further west is the Mirani Dam multipurpose project, on the River Dasht, 50 kilometres west of Turbat in the Makran Division. It will provide dependable irrigation supplies for the development of agriculture and add more than 35,000 km² of arable land.
Education
There are five main public universities in Balochistan, as well as several private institutions.
Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology
Balochistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences
Command and Staff College
Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University
University of Balochistan
Social issues
In recent years, the presence of Afghan refugees disrupted the delicate ethnic balance in the province by making the Pashtuns at least numerically equal to the Baloch. The Baloch tribes have been the most prone to rebellion in Pakistan, in part due to their fiercely independent lifestyle as well as complaints at the lack of development and attention from the central government in Islamabad. These complaints have been partially addressed as the government has set-up schools and improved infrastructure near major settlements. Balochistan remains one of the most conservative provinces in Pakistan and women are expected to wear the hijab unlike in many large cities.
The Baloch adhere to a clan-like structure and code of honour called mayar that bears some resemblance to Pashtunwali, but with significant differences including the Baloch hierarchy and allegiance to Sardars and subordinate Waderas, both tribal chieftains, that the more individualistic and egalitarian Pashtuns lack. The Sardars remain prominent in the province thanks in part to the British who boosted their authority. While many sardars encourage development and progress of their respective regions, many others are undermining federal initiates fearing that development of their regions will result in them losing their traditional and unquestionable authority over the local population. The Government of Pakistan has tried multiple approaches to appease both the local population and the tribal Sardars who exert considerable influence.
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