The Genesis of Baloch Nationalism: Politics and Ethnicity in Pakistan, 1947–1977

By: Salman Rafi Sheikh

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Synopsis: This book explores the ideological, political and military interventions of the state of Pakistan in Balochistan and traces the genesis of today’s secessionist movement. It delves into the historical question of Balochistan’s integration into Pakistan in 1947 and brings out the true political and militant character of the movement during the first three decades (1947–77) of Pakistan’s existence as a nation-state. It shows how the Baloch, as well as other minority groups, were denied the right to identify themselves as a sub-national/ethnic group in the new nation-state, compounded by a systematic exclusion from decision-making circles and structures of political and economic power. The volume also traces political resistance from within Balochistan and its subsequent suppression by military operations, leading to a widespread militant insurgency in the present day. Drawing on hitherto unexplored sources, this book will be indispensable to scholars and researchers of South Asian history, politics, international relations and area studies.