In Pakistan's most silenced province, activists, mothers, and exiles are documenting a counter-history the state wants buried.

The Balochistan conflict represents one of South Asia's longest-running and most brutal nationalist insurgencies.

- TDG NETWORK

Rooted in the historical claim of the Republic of Balochistan, the struggle has evolved from a postcolonial demand for autonomy to a multi-generational movement resisting what many activists call a campaign of "systematic ethnic cleansing" by the Pakistani state.

This historiography explores the shifting narratives around the Balochistan-Pakistan conflict, highlighting key actors, evolving methodologies of state repression, and the uneven international response.

THE FORGOTTEN REPUBLIC: SEEDS OF CONFLICT The starting point for many historians of Baloch nationalism is March 27, 1948—the day Pakistan annexed the then-sovereign Kalat State, which had declared independence on August 11, 1947, three days before Pakistan itself came into existence.

The Republic of Balochistan, though short-lived, became the foundational myth of Baloch nationalism, invoked across generations as proof of an illegitimate incorporation into the Pakistani state.

Early historiography—largely filtered through Pakistani national narratives—either ignored or delegitimized this secessionist history. However, Baloch nationalists and diaspora scholars have challenged this version. Researchers like Sana Haroon and Frederic Grare have argued that the Pakistani state quickly moved to assimilate Balochistan using military force and political manipulation, sowing long-term resentment.

CYCLES OF INSURGENCY AND STATE VIOLENCE Balochistan has witnessed five major insurgencies since 1948, with each rebellion marked by increased militarization and more sophisticated state suppression.

The 1973-77 insurgency was particularly brutal, with over 5,000 Baloch militants killed. The Pakistani state labeled these insurgencies as foreign-sponsored terrorism, often invoking alleged Indian and Afghan support.

By the early 2000s, following the military operation in Dera Bugti that killed nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, the conflict entered a new phase.