Balochistan

30 Oct 2024 11:54:01 am

Tags : Balochistan

Topic: India’s neighbourhood

Why in the news?

At least seven labourers from Punjab province were killed by separatists in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province. The labourers from Multan were shot dead when they were asleep in an under-construction house in the Khuda-e-Abadan area of Panjgur town.

Source: The Hindu

About Balochistan:

It is a province of Pakistan located in the southwestern region of the country.
It is the largest province of Pakistan by land area but is the least populated one.
It shares international borders with Iran to the west and Afghanistan to the north; and is bound by the Arabian Sea to the south.
It encompasses an extensive plateau of rough terrain.
It has the world\'s largest deep sea port, the Port of Gwadar lying in the Arabian Sea
Its history of failed independence efforts and centralization of power by Pakistan fuels ongoing discontent.
Despite its resources, Balochistan remains underdeveloped, with local benefits from resource exploitation being minimal.
Enforced disappearances and other abuses by security forces deepen resentment and drive protests
China’s Role in the Region:
- China’s involvement through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) including projects like Gwadar port, has led to concerns about militarization.
- The influx of non-local workers and Chinese trawlers has increased tensions and resentment among locals who feel being excluded from the benefits of CPEC.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC):

It is a 3,000-km long route of infrastructure projects connecting China’s northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the Gwadar Port in the western province of Balochistan in Pakistan.
It is a bilateral project between Pakistan and China, intended to promote connectivity across Pakistan with a network of highways, railways, and pipelines accompanied by energy, industrial, and other infrastructure development projects.
It will pave the way for China to access the Middle East and Africa from Gwadar Port, enabling China to access the Indian Ocean and in return China will support development projects in Pakistan to overcome the latter’s energy crises and stabilizing its faltering economy.
It is a part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
- The BRI, launched in 2013, aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes.

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