Pakistan’s restive province is on boil again in 2026. Baluchistan wants liberation from Pakistan. The movement is led by the Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA) a highly active militant group fighting for the independence of Baluchistan. In July, 2026, 606 people were killed and 232 injured during terror attacks by the BLA and security operations in July 2026. The intensified security operation is going on by the Pakistani Army in August, 2026. Meanwhile, the Activists and separatist figures like Mir Yar Baloch have declared the formation of Democratic Republic of Baluchistan on 11 August, 2026 and called upon the international community to grant them recognition. However, no country has granted them recognition so far. Bolochs have also drawn up their flag and national emblem. They declared 11 August as their Independence Day, as on this day in 1947 Baluchistan became independent from the British rule for short time before occupied by Pakistan in March 1948.
Grievances of Balochs
Baluchistan is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Under the British rule, the major constituent of Baluchistan was known as Kalat State, which was technically and legally independent of British rule, but politically controlled by the British for security purposes. Baluchistan became independent from the control of British on 11 August, 1947. Later, in December, 1947 and again in January 1948, the Assembly of the Kalat State (main constituent of Baluchistan now) passed the resolution for maintaining the independence of Baluchistan. But Pakistani army entered Baluchistan and forcibly occupied the region in March, 1948. This forced integration of Baluchistan against people’s wishes on 28 March, 1948 by Pakistani Army is disputed and resisted by the Baluch. The movement for liberation of Baluchistan has been going on since 1948 in various forms.
Though the people of Baluchistan are also Sunni Muslims, yet they have their distinct cultural identity due to their language and social traditions.
Geographically it is the largest province of Pakistan with 44 percent of total land area of Pakistan, but its population is just 1.3 crore, which is 5 percent of the total population of Pakistan. Baluchistan is also most rich province of Pakistan in terms of natural resources like oil and gas, coal and copper and other minerals. But people of Baluchistan are the very poor as 48 percent of people live below the poverty line. These economic, historical/ political and cultural factors led to the rise of separatists and militant movement in Baluchistan for eight decades. While, some militant groups like Baloch Liberation Army launch violent struggle in Baluchistan, others political groups support this demand from within and outside the state. However, due to repressive measures of Pakistani forces and internal dissensions among Baloch, the movement has failed to gather critical mass for success.
The tragedy of Baluchistan movement is that Balochs are spread in adjoining areas of three countries- Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Therefore, neighbouring countries like Iran and Afghanistan also do not support the independence of Baluchsitan as creation of separate independence state of Baluchistan may also claim Baloch-inhabited areas in these countries.
India and Baluchistan
India’s official foreign policy does not formally recognize or support separatist or independence movements in Baluchistan. However, Indian political figures have occasionally highlighted human rights issues in the region, leading to sharp counter-allegations from Pakistan. While India follows the policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations, Pakistan has accused India’s role in Baluchistan on two counts:
- That Indian Consular Offices in Afghanistan and India intelligence agency RAW provide training and arms to Baloch militants in Afghanistan. Kulbhushn Jadhav’s name has also been linked in this matter.
- India gives political support of Baloch dissidents settled in other countries and launch anti-Pakistani agitation.
India denies these charges. However, the issue of Baluchistan gained media attention in India when Indian PM Modi referred this issue in his Independence Day speech in 2016. Modi said that people of Baluchistan, POK and Gilgit have thanked him for raising their human rights issues. After that there has been some political activities in India non-governmental basis to raise support for the cause of Baluchistan. The ‘Free Baluchistan Movement’ was launched with the help of some Balochs leaders present in India like Hyrbyrair Marii, Naela Baloch and her son Dilshad Baloch and some groups like Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena and ‘Free Baluchistan Office (New Delhi) were set up for this purpose. Baloch political organizations and associations like the Baloch Welfare Association in India have repeatedly appealed to the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to diplomatically support their cause. These efforts have created some awareness among Indian people about the issue but nothing beyond that happened at the level of Indian government.
Why India in not Supporting Baluchistan Movement like Pakistan’s support for Kashmir?
While we compare Pakistan’s support to Kashmir and plead for similar support by India to the liberation movement of Baluchistan, India faces the following limitations:
- India follows the policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations.
- The geo-political location of Baluchistan is different. It does not share boundary with India as Kashmir shares boundary with Pakistan. This limits the scope for material support to the movement.
- Pakistan interest in Kashmir arises with the possibility of gaining control over Kashmir as soon as it is freed from India. For India, no such territorial interest is involved.
- The majority people of Kashmir and Pakistan have religious affinity, which facilitates ground support for Pakistan in Kashmir and which takes the form of religious terrorism. NO such support is available for India in Baluchistan. On the contrary some militant Baloch groups have launched terror attacks against Hindus, Hzaras and Shias in Baluchistan.
India’s Strategy of Limited Political Support
In spite of these constraints we cannot discount the possibility of Indian strategy to support Baluchistan ‘s independence and raise the violation of human rights there. Thus, Indian strategy may constitute extending political support to the cause of liberation and human rights violation in Baluchistan as India has been doing in support of Palestine Liberation Movement for many years. This will expose Pakistan’s duplicity in raising human rights violation in Kashmir and asking for Azadi of the state.
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