Balochistan

Three thousand years ago, a group of Indo-Iranic tribes (called Balaschik at that time) settled in the northwestern Caspian region of Balashagan. Circumstances forced them to disperse and migrate towards south and eastern parts of Iranian plateau. In medieval times, they finally settled in present Balochistan where they became known as the Baloch. During their long and tortuous journey from Balashagan to Balochistan, the Baloch faced persecutions, deportations, and genocidal acts of various Persian, Arab and other regional powers. During 17th century, after dominating Balochistan culturally and politically, the Baloch carved out a nation state (the Khanate of Kalat). In 1839, the British occupied Balochistan and subsequently it was divided into various parts. In the wake of the British withdrawal from India in 1947, Balochistan regained its sovereignty but soon Pakistan occupied it in 1948. The historical account of the Baloch is the story of a pastoralist nomadic people from ancient times to mid-twentieth century. The author outlines the origin of the Baloch state and its variegated history of survival against powerful neighbors such as the Persians, the British and finally, Pakistan. This fascinating research work discovers the background of the long drawn-out conflict between the Baloch and Pakistan and Iranian states.

A fascinating account of British reporter Willem Marx's travels in Balochistan, a largely forgotten province of Pakistan, along with some spectacular images captured by French photojournalist Marc Wattrelot.

The Great Game for Central Asia led to British involvement in Balochistan, a sparsely-populated area in Pakistan, mostly desert and mountain, and containing the Bolan Pass, the southern counter- part of the more famous Khyber. It occupies a position of great strategic importance between Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and the Arabian Sea. Heathcote's book is a history of the Khanate of Kalat and of British operations against the Baloch hill tribes who raided frontier settlements and the Bolan caravans. Its themes include rivalry between British officials in Sind and the Punjab, high profile disputes between British politicians over frontier policy and organization, and the British occupation of Quetta, guardian city of the Bolan, in the run-up to the Second Afghan War. Among the many strong characters in this story is Sir Robert Sandeman, hitherto hailed as "the peaceful conqueror of Balochistan," now revealed as a ruthless careerist, whose personal ambitions led to the fragmentation of the country under British domination. The closing chapter summarizes subsequent events up to modern times, in which the Baloch have maintained a long-running struggle for greater autonomy within Pakistan.

Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province, is a complex region fraught with conflict and hostility, ranging from an enduring insurgency and sectarian violence to terror strikes and appalling human rights violations. In his third book on Pakistan, Tilak Devasher analyses why Balochistan is such a festering sore for Pakistan. With his keen understanding of the region, he traces the roots of the deep-seated Baloch alienation to the princely state of Kalat's forced accession to Pakistan in 1948. This alienation has been further solidified by the state's rampant exploitation of the province, leading to massive socio-economic deprivation. Is the Baloch insurgency threatening the integrity of Pakistan? What is the likelihood of an independent Balochistan? Has the situation in the province become irretrievable for Pakistan? Is there a meeting ground between the mutually opposing narratives of the Pakistan state and the Baloch nationalists?Devasher examines these issues with a clear and objective mind backed by meticulous research that goes to the heart of the Baloch conundrum.

A time will come when children can play in the streets without the fear of being abducted, women in their homes can be sure that their husbands and sons will return, and young women will no longer feel afraid to go to their university or workplace. I hope that dawn will break one day on a free and peaceful land. Balochistan is an account of the trials and tragedies suffered by this region, which has been forcefully annexed to Pakistan against the will of its people. The area is of fundamental strategic and geopolitical importance not only to Islamabad and to the Chinese CPEC project, but also to the numerous players that act as avatars of the powers in the long-running 'Great Game'. What is woefully ignored is that the lives of the locals are under stake. The Baloch people have long been trying to draw international attention to what is happening to them and their homeland. However, the world has turned a blind eye to the ethnic and cultural genocide carried out so far. Starting from the history of Balochistan and the wrongs done to its people, along with detailed interviews with the lead actors in this struggle, acclaimed journalist Francesca Marino attempts to lend a voice to the Baloch people and speak for themselves about one of the most reprehensible and inexplicable silences of our times.

Greater Balochistan region was remotely located far away from Kingdom of the Persia in the west and equally at a distance from Indian princely states in the east. In present time Balochistan, a part of Greater Balochistan is now disputed remote territory, illegally annexed by Pakistan, lies between Sindh province of Pakistan and the western international border of Iran. The whole region was populated most heavily by ethnic Baloch people and thus named this region Balochistan. Geopolitical developments in the area, divided Greater Balochistan into three separate countries. This book is mainly focusing on present Balochistan, the region under the occupation of Pakistan. Book describes the history, culture, and Baloch people’s suffering from the last seven decades pain, atrocity and oppressions that Pakistan has given them to suppress their voice. A voice which wants to save the Baloch culture, people and homeland from Pakistan’s army and its leadership.

Balochistan is a tinderbox which has hitherto remained more or less unexposed to geo-political pressures -- either because of Indian docility or because of Pakistan's deft foreign policy or because it was not useful to the West. However, it holds the potential to emerge as a new diplomatic flashpoint involving India, Pakistan and a range of external stakeholders, including Afghanistan, Iran, USA, China, and Russia. The crisis in Balochistan is escalating into a full-fledge “Baloch War of Independence” in Pakistani-occupied Balochistan due to the oppressive policies of the Pakistani militaries dictatorship. The book covers the developments in post colonial Balochistan, its geopolitical significance, and the underlying grievances of the Baloch.

Balochistan has been facing innumerable challenges since Pakistan’s independence. Resentment and socio-political turmoil in Baloch society have been feuled by the federation’s denial of Balochistan’s rightful share of resources and funds: a recognition of this injustice by the state has long been needed. Fida Hussain Malik's book is a seminal work providing deep insights into the issues of Balochistan. It will help create a deeper understanding and promote a well-integrated Federation-Province relationship.