THE CONTENT ANALYSIS OF ETHNIC-RELIGIOUS CONFLICTS IN BALOCHISTAN
Abstract
Balochistan is the south western region of Pakistan and the biggest area land-wise. Quetta is its capital and biggest city. It has fringes with Punjab and Federally Administered Tribal Areas toward the upper east, Sindh toward the east and southeast, Arabian Sea toward the south, Iran toward the west, and Afghanistan toward the north and northwest. The study aims to determine the ways and means, regarding the ethnic-religious unrest in Balochistan. A mixed methods design was utilized to collect the primary and secondary data samples across three major cities of Balochistan. The preliminary data was collected from the respondents by using the interview schedule and secondary data (selected newspapers, and documents-2006-2013) were used in three purposively selected districts namely (Quetta, Khuzdar, and Turbat). The current study contains five hundred (500) respondents. The sample size for respondents’ religious views were two hundred (200), whereas for respondents’ ethnic view were three hundred (300). Concurrently, three hundred (300) respondents (Quetta+100, Khuzdar+100, Turbut+100=300) were selected as the target population using the simple random sampling technique. The findings reveal less than half (45%) of the respondents did not comprehend any unrest existed on the province level. One-fourth (45.5%) of the respondents were of the view that extremism infiltrated through thoughts. Record (43.3%) of the respondents believed that newspapers as a massive tool for resolving conflicts. Utmost (42%) of the respondents did not know the newspapers. Maximum (70%) respondents don’t know that the media plays a role in sectarian eradication. The results further reveal peak (59.5%) of the respondents believed that they did not see any ethnic unrest in the areas. Nearly (53.3%) of the respondents did not accept that the regional media is highlighting issues at the national level. Keeping in view, the findings of the study follow the recommendations devised in light of the study. Improvement of Balochistan is critical for the advancement and prosperity of Pakistan, subsequently there is a need to understand that a solid Balochistan implies a firm Pakistan.
