Ethno-Political Conflict in Pakistan
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Published: 2019
Language: eng
Number of pages: 212
ISBN-13: 9780367331450
Subjects: Asia, history
Description: "This book critically examines the Baloch nationalist narrative and explores the causes of the increase of insurgent violence in Balochistan, Pakistan. Using the historical analysis method, the author explores the relations between the national government of Pakistan, or "The Centre", and the province of Balochistan from 1947 to 2013 to argue that both sides use a standard narrative when dealing with each other. According to the Baloch narrative, Islamabad exploits Balochistan's natural resources without giving Balochistan its due share and has never accepted and granted Balochistan equal rights. The Centre's narrative emphasizes the tribal character of Baloch society and suggests that the Baloch elite hinder Balochistan's integration with the federation. This book demonstrates that both narratives are inherently flawed and present a precipitous picture of the problem of insurgent violence. It also shows that Baloch leadership is divided along tribal lines, and lacks a unified voice and proposes that the Baloch elite only uses the narrative of enduring injustice as a source of politicization of Baloch ethnicity when an actual or perceived injustice is taking place. An important addition to the literature on ethnopolitcal conflicts, this unique analysis of the importance of narrative in the imagination of political movements will be of interest to scholars in the field of South Asian Studies, Ethnic Conflicts, Separatist and political movements and Asian Politics"--