McGill Journal of Political Studies 2014 April, 2014 | Page 108

Figure 1 Map of Balochistan. Source: Govt. of Pakistan - Briefing, Law & Order and
Security Situation Baluchistan, 99th National Management Course.

“...despite the fact that Balochistan supplies approximately
80% of Pakistan’s gas and coal
needs, it receives some of the
lowest royalties in the world.

by the BLA assault), ethnic and sectarian
violence (conducted predominantly by the
LeJ), as well as ideological and terrorist
violence (TTP). Unfortunately, there has
been very little scholarship examining
the recent proliferation in multi-faceted
and intersecting political violence within
the region; most scholarly literature on
Balochistan is restricted to examinations
of the historic secessionist struggle4. Such a
perspective obscures the realities of political
violence on ground, and thus prevents the
development of informed strategies to
alleviate conflict in Balochistan. Balochistan
has always been the most marginalised and
economically backward province in Pakistan,
and the attention, analysis, and Government
response to violence w ][