BALUCHISTAN ISSUE: BETWEEN MOVEMENT FOR BASIC RIGHTS & A FAILED INSURGENCY

Abstract

Baluchistan is a strategically significant province of Pakistan. Since its accession to Pakistan, it has observed a low level of insurgence from time to time. It has never been a full-scale insurgence that could sustain for more than a few years. However, it has attracted a lot of attention not only from academicians, commentators, and political pundits because of its extremely significant geostrategic location and minerals laden plateau, but all the regional powers have taken great interest in its geostrategic significance. This article is an effort to re-comprehend the issue of Baluchistan because of its rejuvenated significance owing to China’s One Belt One Road Initiative as it provides a gateway to China through Gawadar Port to the rest of the world. Besides extensive literature review, document analysis, in-depth interviews with the relevant stakeholder in Baluchistan were conducted to construct the meaning of the socio-political developments in the province