The people of Balochistan have been wanting separation from Pakistan for many decades. Recently it has increased rapidly. Sporadic conflicts have now become more violent. Sometimes Baloch fighters attack Chinese officials working in mines, and sometimes they kidnap civilians. Pakistan is somehow suppressing its voice. Meanwhile, it is worth thinking about why Pakistan is so worried about this rebellious part of its country.
how big is it Balochistan
It is the largest province of Pakistan, covering about 44 percent of its total land area. But the population in such a large area is very less. Only about 1.2 to 1.3 crore people live here, which is about 6 percent of the total population of the country.
The interesting thing about the province adjacent to Iran and Afghanistan is that Sindh and Punjab provinces also adjoin it on both sides and both of them have also almost become rebels.
what is the reason for the riot
This largest province of Pakistan has huge reserves of natural treasures like gas, coal and gold. islamabad He considers himself to have authority over all this. Till now it is still fine but the people of the Baloch land where they are getting all this are being kept away from their resources. The mines present here have been given on lease to China by the Pakistani government. They work here and share their work among themselves.
Even in politics, the people of Balochistan could not get special space. Overall, their condition is similar to that of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), that too despite greater wealth. The language and mannerisms of the people here are less similar to Pakistan and more similar to Iran. The rebellion continued to grow here due to this discrimination.
The slow voice of separatism started rising after the independence of Bangladesh. Baloch Liberation Army took it further. When this separatist group saw that demands were not working, they started attacking by making a strategy. The capital Quetta remains a stronghold of separatists from where attacks are taking place.
What could be the geographical loss?
If Balochistan gets separated, the biggest loss will be the size and strategic location of the area. It is the largest province of Pakistan, covering about half of the total area of the country. That means after separation, Pakistan will be reduced to almost half.
Pakistan gets access to the Arabian Sea only through Balochistan. The Gwadar port here is the backbone of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which provides direct trade routes to both. If this area gets separated then Islamabad’s strategic reach along with sea access will also be weakened. Also, Balochistan’s borders are with Iran and Afghanistan, hence its departure will weaken the western border of Pakistan. This means that Pakistan’s international position will also weaken in one stroke.
A big shock even from the military point of view
This area is the western defense line of the country. The long border with Afghanistan and Iran is protected through Balochistan. If it gets divided then Pakistan will get a new enemy country very close to its border. This will not only increase its security expenses, but the army will have to remain deployed on the new border all the time.
Gwadar port of Balochistan and its surrounding military posts have been built by Pakistan with the help of China. This area is very important from naval strategy point of view. If it goes away, Pakistan’s Navy will become weak in the Arabian Sea. This will also be a shock for China, because it had access to the Arabian Sea through Balochistan. That is, a large part of Pakistan’s defense, intelligence and naval strength will be lost.
will become economically weaker
Economically, Balochistan is a major source of income for Pakistan. There are large reserves of natural gas, coal, gold, copper and oil in the mountains here. About 40 percent of Pakistan’s gas needs are met from it. If this province gets separated, Pakistan will have to lose complete control over these resources. Also, the international trade that comes from Gwadar Port will also end. The billion dollar corridor project going on with China will stop.
Will the disintegration of Balochistan be bigger than the division of Bangladesh?
When Bangladesh separated in the early seventies, Pakistan lost half of its population. The second big blow was the economic loss, because at that time the income from jute industry and farming in East Pakistan used to run the economy of the entire country. But at that time the geographical and strategic center of Pakistan i.e. Punjab and Sindh were safe. That’s why the country was divided but not broken.
Now if Balochistan gets separated then the shock will be huge. The reason is that Balochistan is the largest and most strategic area of Pakistan. This is about 44 percent of the total land of the country, while the population is very less. It is here that Gwadar port is located, which is the reason for China-Pakistan relations. If it goes away, not only will Pakistan’s access to the Arabian Sea be lost, its relations with Beijing will also weaken.
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