TRANSFORMATION IN BALOCH INSURGENCY: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Baloch insurgency has continued throughout the history with Pakistan, sporadically. This insurgency, which started with the accession of Kalat state to Pakistan, is in its fifth phase. The previous insurgencies and the current one are different in many aspects. The earlier insurgencies were controlled and managed mainly by Baloch Sardars, and three main tribal leaders, namely, Marri, Bugti, and Mengal, were held responsible. In contrast, the well-educated middle class mostly manages the contemporary insurgency. It is generally believed that there is a shift in the insurgency movement from the North to the South of Balochistan. Another aspect of the current insurgency is suicide bombing, which has completely changed the face of this insurgency movement. The inclination of well-educated people toward suicide bombing is of great concern for the government and the state. Besides this, the attack on workers associated with the CPEC project is alarming. The use of social media as a platform by insurgents to show their activities and encourage the youth to join the insurgency is a quite disturbing aspect of this transformation. This paper is an analysis of these transformations in the Baloch insurgency.