Balochistan is located at the south-eastern edge of
the Iranian plateau. It strategically bridges the Middle East and Southwest
Asia to Central Asia and South Asia, and forms the closest oceanic frontage for
the land-locked countries of Central Asia.
By the surface area, Balochistan is easily the
largest of the four provinces of Pakistan at 347,190 km2 (134,051 mi2), which
composes approximately 44% of the total land area of Pakistan. The population
density is very low due to the mountainous terrain and scarcity of water. The southern
region is known as Makran. The central region is known as Kalat.
The Sulaiman Mountains dominate the northeast
corner and the Bolan Pass is a natural route into Afghanistan towards Kandahar.
It was used as a passageway during the British campaigns to Afghanistan. Much
of the province south of the Quetta region is parse desert terrain with pockets
of towns mostly near rivers and streams.
The capital, Quetta, is located in the most densely
populated district in the northeast of the province. It is situated in a river
valley near the border with Afghanistan, with a road to Kandahar in the northwest. At Gwadar on the coast of
the Arabian Sea, the Pakistani government has undertaken a big project with
Chinese help to build a large port. The Gwadar deep-sea port emerges as a place
of great strategic value, enhancing Pakistan’s importance in the whole region,
extending from the Persian Gulf through the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia and
the Far East.
Gwadar is located on the southwestern coast of Pakistan,
close to the important Straits of Hormuz, through which more-than 13 million
bpd of oil passes. It is strategically located between three increasingly
important regions of the world: the oil-rich Middle East, heavily populated
South Asia and the economically emerging and resource-rich central Asia. The
construction of the Gwadar deep-sea port is just one component of a larger
development plan which includes building a network of roads connecting Gwadar
with the rest of Pakistan, such as the 650 km Coastal Highway to Karachi and
the Gwadar-Turbat road (188 km). This network of roads connects with China
through the Indus Highway. Pakistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan and
Uzbekistan are developing extensive road and rail links from Central Asia and
the Chinese province of Xinjiang to the Arabian Sea coast.
The Pakistani Government has initiated several
projects, with majority financial and technical assistance from China, to
develop Gwadar’s strategic location as a goods transit and trade point. The
primary project is the construction of a deep-sea port at Gwadar to enable
high- volume cargo movement to and from the landlocked Central Asian states.
The new port will also encompass conversion facilities to allow for the movement
of natural gas as a part of plans for a termination point for the
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakis tan natural gas pipeline. The secondary project
is a coastal highway connecting Gwadar to Karachi, whose $200 million cost will
be completely financed by the Chinese. Gwadar will serve as a port of entry for
oil and gas to be transported by land to the western regions of China.
The project’s fate is tied to the decentralization
of government in Pakistan. If an agreement is brokered with the Baluch, the
Pakistani military will gain a strategic depth southwest from its naval base in
Karachi that has long been vulnerable to blockade by the Indian Navy. China is
going to be the beneficiary of Gwadar’s most accessible international trade
routes to the Central Asian republics and Xinjiang. By extending its East-West
Railway from the Chinese border city of Kashi to Peshawar in Pakistan’s
northwest, Beijing can receive cargo to and from Gwadar along the shortest
route, from Karachi to Peshawar. The rail network could also be used to supply
oil from the Persian Gulf to Xinjiang. Pakistan’s internal rail network can
also provide China with rail access to Iran. Rail access will however be
hampered somewhat by differences in gauge: China and Iran - 1435 mm; Pakistan -
1676 mm; Central Asia - 1524 mm.
Summing up, it may be said that taking all factors
into account Baluchistan shall always remain an integral part of Pakistan in
its own interest. It also suits the big powers. If it becomes part of Iranian
Baluchistan or that of Afghanistan, it wil1 no longer serve a dependable route
for them to reach the CARs. Moreover for the development of vast mineral
resources the province needs skilled and unskilled manpower that can only come
from other developed regions of Pakistan. However, the main demand of the
Balochis is provincial autonomy in accordance with the provisions of 1973
Constitution. It is a just demand and should be met forthwith. It should also
be ensured that the resources of the province should mainly benefit the local
population. Outsiders should not be allowed to settle permanently there to ally
the fears of the Baluchis to eventually be reduced to a minority. Citing
example of East Pakistan, as an argument for its possible separation, is
unrealistic due to the fact that 1000 miles of the hostile territory of India
separated t wings from each other. Here neither Iran is eager to accept it as
integral part nor is Afghanistan in a position to get it merged with it. People
of Baluchistan are scattered throughout Pakistan some in search of means of
living, others on account of political and ethnic considerations. However, the
federal government should make sincere offer of an attractive development
package to the province so that it comes up quickly to the level of development
of other regions of Pakistan.
A package for Balochistan has been issued by the
government which takes care of the grudges of the people. However, the rebel
element may consider it only a measure of appeasement and may not reconcile
with it immediately. With the passage of time and change of overall public
opinion in favour of the package, they will gradually calm down and become par
of the national mainstream.