Balochistan: Pakistan's Other War

Balochistan: Pakistan's Other War

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Ratings: 7.07/10 from 29 users.

Balochistan: Pakistan's Other WarThe ongoing conflict in the remote province of Balochistan is often called Pakistan's "dirty war". Ethnic Balochi politicians and leaders share their vision of self-determination and freedom from Pakistani rule.

Far from the bustling cities of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, this remote region has been the battleground for a 60-year-long insurgency by the Baloch ethnic minority.

But the uprising against Pakistan's government has received little attention worldwide, in part because most eyes have been focused on the fight against the Taliban and al-Qaeda in other areas of Pakistan.

Bordering Iran and Afghanistan, Balochistan remains notorious for cross-border smuggling and has more recently been infiltrated by former members of the Taliban and al-Qaeda operatives. Few outsiders gain access or permission to travel in the region.

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Abdul Basit
Abdul Basit
3 years ago

If you've watched the documentary you'd know where all these comments praising the pakistani state come from. These comments are an illustration of the problem

Pakistani
Pakistani
7 years ago

Well my Baloch brothers are concerned about being robed of there resources but the ironic truth is they themselves are to be blamed for that HOW??? its a big question mark of course but has a relatively simple answer.

"When opportunities present themselves for them to take some control of there resources and them gradually move up to the level of total control they are nowhere to be found on the rite place instead they are found to be protesting against some UN-established conspiracy theory and the control vacuum they leave in the process well someone has to fill it up that is where the control of there resources slips from there hands."

blank
blank
8 years ago

One sided story has been told.

Fayyaz Zehri Baloch
Fayyaz Zehri Baloch
8 years ago

I am Baloch myself and hate the fact why we always blame our beloved country Pakistan our sardars should be the once hanged upside down they are the real reason of common Baoch's backwardness, look at our chieftains their level of high standard living,their vehicles and affluence they speak good English because they send their families to foreign countries and living peaceful quality lives where as us as common baloch are suffering the most since they are being greedy of power but no matter what we will never want to disintegrate our beloved country Pakistan, their certainly other parts of the world are being suppressed and killed since decades places like Kashmir from indian dictatorship,my grand mother is Kashmiri, kashmiris have nothing in common with Indians but no one talks about it .

Magadh
Magadh
8 years ago

Not sure where Martian conducted his research but Balochistan all the way up to eastern Persia was part of the Magadh Empire. Over a period of time, it may would have become a no-man's land when frequent invasion started to happen from Arab side. It is also known historically that the present day Pakistan and earlier the India had many republics in ancient times which later got merged when the Magadh Empire brought the indian subcontinent under one political administration.

Mozafar Aminzadah
Mozafar Aminzadah
11 years ago

Afghanistan and Belochistan ?

blank21
blank21
11 years ago

Baluchi's are not Paki. They were drawn under the borders not by their choice, all of western Pakistan is ethnically different than the rest. in fact what is Pakistan? its a British creation that's all. The people in each province are there own people.

Farhan Mughal
Farhan Mughal
11 years ago

Whatever westerns are showing in their movies and news channels aginst Pakistan that all are cross boader planning and propaganda to sperate Provence of Balochistan from Pakistan(on the name of missing people to gain the sympathy from all around the world) because westerns have their interest in this region. As Same as, they did in Iraq on the name of Bilogical Mass Distruction(dangirous name they use to scare the world) weapons what was happend next? World goes blindfolded.

Main point is Balochistan has key roat to western countries by road and it also has a lot of prisious resources in this land. As you know that very well; the westerns tried to occupy those land on which they have their interest as show in the history of the world. Right now they are using some black sheeps against Pakistan as they are doing in Syria, Egypt, Jordon and next target is Pakistan.
I aslo heard that Westerns want to break Pakistan in many pieces until 2014. So they will do their best for this effort.

Saad Usman Malik
Saad Usman Malik
11 years ago

There is no problem in Baluchistan except corrupt politicians. And no resistance has lasted for 60 years. Why you people deform the history? After foundation of Pakistan the Baloch problem started in the black era of Bhutto in 1970s and ended when the dog was hanged in 1979. After that there were decades of peace and harmony except for short times when Benazir Kanjri was the prime b****. The conditions became bad in Musharraf's era after the murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti of Balochistan and worsened with the so called democracy. The only solution to all the problems all over the world is: "Hang all the politicians". There will be peace and prosperity everywhere. The Pakistani politicians are such f****** a**holes that they blame everyone except themselves for there own created problems. They blame Army, Judiciary, Police, Law enforcement agencies, Religious Scholars, other opposing politicians and even the Country and the state. (Note: I am not any Tom Dick and Harry, I have done a Masters in Political Science)

tim1888
tim1888
11 years ago

the brits are to blame?

Vijindran Olakanathan
Vijindran Olakanathan
11 years ago

All the best for Baluchistan..!!!

ghulam mustafa gaho
ghulam mustafa gaho
11 years ago

though that is the great game of super powers in Baluchistan but Punjabi establishment is also playing role in widening the gape by eating up the resources of not only of Baluchistan but also of the other two provinces of Pakistan, especially the Sindh.

Phil
Phil
11 years ago

The people go hungry and live in huts!!! Their army seems well supplied with updated guns...and other weapons.... You can almost guarntee that there are outside influence most likely USA!!!!!

Rana Muhammad Umer Haleem
Rana Muhammad Umer Haleem
11 years ago

@addeos amegos you are also the biggest mistake of your parents

addeos amegos
addeos amegos
11 years ago

pakistan is the biggest mistake of the world

?€€$h?? ?µ??
?€€$h?? ?µ??
11 years ago

severe interference by indian intelligence..
lack of attention by pakistani corrupt politicians..
only two factors behind balochistan problem

slpsa
slpsa
11 years ago

To coin an oft used phrase. The peaceful religion and people of Islam, hard at work co-existing peacefully with their own brothers and sisters.

Lynley Ruth Butt
Lynley Ruth Butt
11 years ago

Attacking home villages... razing family residences!
What a self-defeating policy Pak Govt forces pursue- killing what they pretend to love... the " what" being amicable relationships between ethnic groups. Personally, in my view, Islam not only gives Rights to Daughters re their consent to marriage but Rights to Dissent... say no. Not only inheritance rights but rights to create and pursue their own ways and means and talents and abilities.... towards independent economic self sufficiency.
And these same principles MUST necessarily carry over into the Larger social-political arena... WHY? Without these rights there can be no meaningful economic and social development.. .. or indeed happiness. Exerting feudal- like denial of self-determination and self-expression and rights to security of lkife, honor and property ( both at a personal and collective level) is not cleverly exploitive of natural assets , it is repressive. Repressed people in Islam are given several CHOICES- a range of leve3ls of opposition according to the application of personal and collective wisdom to the PROBLEM created by the " RULING ESTABLISHMENT" all of which are legitimate means to the goal- since the establishment is by consensus considered discredited and ILLEGITIMATE entity with no CREDIBILITY and no authority ( beyond the application of force- which may be resisted by any means available to the oppressed peoples.
To what desired end and point of rest and reconciliation and renewal of purpose....? The desired END is both the actuation of any effective resistant opposition ( making a " freedom stance"... by word and deed) TOWARDS Ultimate victory... an END to oppression and this so-called " exploitation" which has the opposite negative effect of crushing progress.
IF Pakistan political and armed forces annexed Baluch assets and land and peoples prior to CONSENT the have committed an offence- in Islam.
But we see many such cases ( such as the lingering Khurdish problem) in the Islamic world, since Islamic countries seem to be most concerned with a strong centre for external and internal " Defence" purposes...and least concerned with allowing autonomy at lower levels of power... save for some "variance" authority to tribal elders in matters of law. Least concerned with support for ethnic differences ( created that " YE may know them"... ie their personal and collective cultural identity) and more concerned with hair-splitting Ideological sectarian deviations... which are presently linked in Islam to political clout and centre-based power rivalry and threats to majority-based authoritative " power bases".
In conclusion I would estimate- Pakistan can become an efficient, happy and legitimate Islamic State... if she is blessed with a central Government which is either "secure enough" to grant provincial autonomy and oversee meaningful transition OR destabilized challenged threatened and weakened enough to collapse and surrender to demands.
I know which way is " less expensive" for Pakistan, but also know that without the more refined ethics and principles of Islam, men at a central helm, heady with power, are unlikely to be " thrifty" nor particularly seized with a sense of duty.... to not only safe guard the National purse as a " sacred trust" but safeguard the lives livelihoods and rights to happiness along with the property of their citizens... with shared wealth and shared power " gone out" and dispersed from their ( own clenched, controlling) hand. A first necessity must be TRUST... and how that may be established amongst rivalrous power contenders is a difficult matter, with scattered and illiterate tribal societies. It could be argued- by central Govts- that such provinces are insufficiently developed in terms of maturity- to rule themselves adequately.
Especially so, since resistance fighters present themselves merely as scattered gypsy-type immature boys... young hot headed extremist rebels... without any cohesive central planning and disciplinary structure, vocal authority, and educated representation that can deal and convince "the mature men" of central Government.

dewflirt
dewflirt
11 years ago

Six decades? Aren't they bored by now? How long can you hold a grudge and keep finding new reasons to keep it going? This stuff reminds me of the Gypsy honour fights. Self perpetuated violence. Bloody a few noses now and then for old times sake. Not feeling very understanding about this sort of thing right now, sick to death with all the fighting, everywhere, all the time. They all, both sides, should be stood in corners and made to think about what they're doing. Write out one hundred times, We are very naughty boys!
Some nice hats though :)

Jack1952
Jack1952
11 years ago

Muslims fighting Muslims...in a peaceful way, of course.

Plonkette
Plonkette
11 years ago

I think we should invade them to bring to them the freedom that Iraqis and Afghanis are basking in. Children don't need all those limbs anyways.

davy11
davy11
11 years ago

sadly for the balochistan people, i dont think they will ever have an independant state. at least not until all their natural resources have been raped by the yanks, chinese and pakistanis

docoman
docoman
11 years ago

I'd never heard of this before. I found it an interesting watch. I can't help but think they're fighting a loosing battle because of their natural resources. They'll not be left alone while the big players want what they're sitting on.

dmxi
dmxi
11 years ago

amazing insight & you can enjoy without being shot at!