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{{Short description|Province of Pakistan}}{{About|the province of Pakistan|the geographic region|Balochistan|other uses|Balochistan (disambiguation)}}{{pp|small=yes}}{{Use Pakistani English|date=May 2022}}{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

factoids

| native_name_lang = ur| image_skyline = {{multiple image| border = infobox| total_width = 280| image_style = border:1;| perrow = 1/2/2| image1 = Quaid-e-Azam Residancy Ziarat Balochistan by Balochlens.jpg| image2 = Princes of Hope, Hingol National Park, Pakistan.jpg| image3 = Hanna Lake Quetta.jpg| image4 = Chiltan Mountain.jpg| image5 = Kund Malir Beach, Balochistan.jpg| image6 = Baluchistan Canyons.jpg| image7 = Pasni Milkyway Balochistan Milkyway.jpg}}Quaid-e-Azam Residency, Princess of Hope, Koh-i-Chiltan, Hingol National Park>Canyons of Balochistan, Pasni, Kund Malir, Hanna Lake| image_flag = Flag of Balochistan.svg| flag_alt = | image_seal = Coat of arms of Balochistan.svg| nickname = | image_map = Balochistan in Pakistan (claims hatched).svg| map_alt = | map_caption = Location of Balochistan in Pakistan27.7region:PK_type:adm1st_dim:1000000|display=inline,title}}| coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country| subdivision_name = Pakistan| subdivision_type1 = | subdivision_name1 = | established_title = EstablishedLegal Framework Order, 1970>1 July 1970and largest city}}| seat = Quetta| parts_type = Subdivisions#Languages and ethnicities>Main language(s)Urdu (national, official)Other Languages: Balochi language, Pashto, Brahui language>Brahui, Sindhi}}}}| blank1_name_sec1 = Notable sports teams| blank1_info_sec1 = Quetta GladiatorsQuetta BearsBalochistan cricket team| parts_style = listDivisions of Balochistan>Divisions| blank1_info_sec2 = 8Districts of Balochistan, Pakistan>Districts| blank2_info_sec2 = 35List of tehsils of Balochistan>Tehsils| blank3_info_sec2 = 134Union Councils of Pakistan>Union Councils DATE=11 FEBRUARY 2022, | government_footnotes = Federated state>Self-governing province subject to the federal governmentGovernment of Balochistan, Pakistan>Government of Balochistan| leader_party = Governor of Balochistan, Pakistan>Governor| leader_name = Sheikh Jaffar Khan MandokhailChief Minister of Balochistan>Chief Minister| leader_name1 = Sarfraz BugtiChief Secretary Balochistan>Chief Secretary| leader_name2 = Shakeel Qadir Khan| leader_title3 = LegislatureProvincial Assembly of Balochistan>Provincial AssemblyHigh Courts of Pakistan>High Court| leader_name4 = Balochistan High Court| unit_pref = Metric| area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 347190Administrative units of Pakistan>1st| area_note = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | population_total = 14,894,402| population_density_km2 = auto2023 Census of Pakistan>2023Demographics of Pakistan>4thACCESS-DATE=2023-08-05 LANGUAGE=EN, List of administrative units of Pakistan by Human Development Index>HDI (2019)WEBSITE=HDI.GLOBALDATALAB.ORG#900|low}}Education in Pakistan>Literacy rate (2020) DATE=9 JUNE 2022, Pakistan Standard Time>PKT| utc_offset1 = +05:00| postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code = | area_code_type = PK-BA)National Assembly of Pakistan>Seats in National Assembly| blank4_info_sec1 = 20Provincial Assembly of Balochistan>Seats in Provincial Assembly| blank5_info_sec1 = 65weblink}}| footnotes = List of Pakistani administrative units by gross state product>4th){{efn|name=g}}| demographics_type1 = GDP (nominal)List of Pakistani administrative units by gross state product>Total (2022)List of Pakistani administrative units by gross state product>Per CapitaList of Pakistani administrative units by gross state product>5th)| demographics_type2 = GDP (PPP)List of Pakistani administrative units by gross state product>Total (2022)List of Pakistani administrative units by gross state product>4th){{efnBalochistan's contribution to national economy was 5.33%, or $80 billion (PPP) and $20 billion (nominal) in 2022.HTTPS://KPBOS.GOV.PK/ASSETS/DOCS/REPORTS/NTL-POLICYBRIEF-AUG-1.PDF>TITLE=GDP OF KHYBER PUKHTUNKHWA'S DISTRICTS, kpbos.gov.pk, WEB,weblink Report for Selected Countries and Subjects, }}List of Pakistani administrative units by gross state product>Per CapitaList of Pakistani administrative units by gross state product>5th)| flag_size = 130px| seal_size = 100px}}Balochistan ({{IPAc-en|b|ə|ˈ|l|ɒ|tʃ|ᵻ|s|t|ɑː|n|,_|b|ə|ˌ|l|ɒ|tʃ|ᵻ|ˈ|s|t|ɑː|n|,_|-|s|t|æ|n}}; {{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}; }}, {{IPA-ur|bəloːt͡ʃɪst̪ɑːn|3=LL-Q1617 (urd)-نعم البدل-بلوچستان.wav}}) is a province of Pakistan. Located in the southwestern region of the country, Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan by land area but is the least populated one. It is bordered by the Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the north-east, Punjab to the east and Sindh to the south-east; shares international borders with Iran to the west and Afghanistan to the north; and is bound by the Arabian Sea to the south. Balochistan is an extensive plateau of rough terrain divided into basins by ranges of sufficient heights and ruggedness. It has the world's largest deep sea port, the Port of Gwadar lying in the Arabian Sea.Although it makes up about 44% of the land area of Pakistan, only 5% of it is arable and it is noted for an extremely dry desert climate.NEWS, Balochistan {{!, province, Pakistan |work=Encyclopædia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Balochistan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405173533weblink |archive-date=5 April 2017}}WEB, Livestock at a glance,weblink 2023-01-26, Government of Balochistan, en-US, Despite this, agriculture and livestock make up about 47% of Balochistan's economy.The name "Balochistan" means "the land of the Baloch". Largely underdeveloped, its economy is also dominated by natural resources, especially its natural gas fields. Aside from Quetta, the second-largest city of the province is Turbat in the south, while another area of major economic importance is the port city of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea, an emerging future business hub.WEB, 2023-01-29, 'Gwadar is future business hub of country',weblink 2023-01-29, The News International, en,

History

Early history

{{more citations needed section|date=September 2012}}File:IVC-major-sites-2.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Map showing the sites and extent of the Indus Valley civilisation. Mohenjo-Daro and Mehrgarh were among the centres of the Indus Valley Civilisation in the modern-day province. Balochistan marked the westernmost territory of the civilisation, which was one of the most developed in the old Bronze AgeBronze AgeBalochistan occupies the very southeasternmost portion of the Iranian Plateau, the setting for the earliest known farming settlements in the pre-Indus Valley civilisation era, the earliest of which was Mehrgarh, dated at 7000 BCE,BOOK, The Archaeology of Measurement: Comprehending Heaven, Earth and Time in Ancient Societies, Iain Morley, Colin Renfrew,weblink 107, Cambridge University Press, 2010, 9780521119900, within the province. Balochistan marked the westernmost extent of civilisation. Centuries before the arrival of Islam in the seventh century, parts of Balochistan were ruled by the Paratarajas, an Indo-Scythian dynasty. At certain times, the Kushans also held political sway in parts of Balochistan.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}The Hindu Sewa Dynasty ruled parts of Balochistan, chiefly Kalat.BOOK, Fowle, T. C., Rai, Diwan Jamiat, Baluchistan, 1923, Directorate of Archives, Government of Balochistan, 100, The Hindus of Kalat town may indeed be far more indigenous, since they claim descent from the ancient Sewa dynasty that ruled Kalat long before the Brahuis came to Baluchistan., BOOK, Balochistan Through the Ages: Geography and history, 1979, Nisa Traders, 316, The country up to and including Multan was conquered by the Arabs and the Hindu dynasty of Sind and probably also the Sewa dynasty of Kalat came to an end., The Sibi Division, which was carved out of Quetta Division and Kalat Division in 1974, derives its name from Rani Sewi, the queen of the Sewa dynasty.BOOK, Quddus, Syed Abdul, The Tribal Baluchistan, 1990, Ferozsons, 978-969-0-10047-4, 49, The Sibi division was carved out of the Quetta and Kalat Divisions in April, 1974, and comprises districts of Sibi, Kachhi, Nasirabad, Kohlu and Dera Bugti. The Division derives its name from the town of Sibi or Sewi. The local tradition attributes the origin of this name to Rani Sewi of the Sewa dynasty which ruled this part of the country in ancient times., The remnants of the earliest people in Balochistan were the Brahui people, a Dravidian speaking people. The Brahuis retained the Dravidian language throughout the millennias.BOOK,weblink Dictionary of Languages: The Definitive Reference to More Than 400 Languages, 2004-03-01, Columbia University Press, 9780231115698, 2010-09-09, Although during the Stone and Bronze Age and Alexander the Great's empire an indigenous population existed, the Baloch people themselves did not enter the region until the 14th century CE.WEB, Balochistan {{!, province, Pakistan {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Balochistan |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}} A theory of the origin of the Baloch people, the largest ethnic group in the region, is that they are of Median descent.M. Longworth Dames, Balochi Folklore, Folklore, Vol. 13, No. 3 (29 September 1902), pp. 252–274

Arrival of Islam

In 654, Abdulrehman ibn Samrah, governor of Sistan and the newly emerged Rashidun caliphate at the expense of Sassanid Persia and the Byzantine Empire, sent an Islamic army to crush a revolt in Zaranj, which is now in southern Afghanistan. After conquering Zaranj, a column of the army pushed north, conquering Kabul and Ghazni, in the Hindu Kush mountain range, while another column moved through Quetta District in north-western Balochistan and conquered the area up to the ancient cities of Dawar and Qandabil (Bolan).Tabqat ibn Saad, Vol. 8, p. 471 It is documented that the major settlements, falling within today's province, became in 654 controlled by the Rashidun caliphate, except for the well-defended mountain town of QaiQan which is now Kalat.During the caliphate of Ali, a revolt broke out in southern Balochistan's Makran region.BOOK, Saxena, Sunil K., History of Medieval India, Pinnacle Technology, 2011, In 663, during the reign of Umayyad Caliph Muawiyah I, his Muslim rule lost control of north-eastern Balochistan and Kalat when Haris ibn Marah and a large part of his army died in battle against a revolt in Kalat.Tarikh al Khulfa, Vol. 1, pp. 214–215, 229

Pre-modern era

In the 15th century, Mir Chakar Khan Rind became the first Sirdar of Afghan, Iranian and Pakistani Balochistan. He was a close aide of the Timurid ruler Humayun, and was succeeded by the Khanate of Kalat, which owed allegiance to the Mughal Empire. Later, Nader Shah won the allegiance of the rulers of eastern Balochistan. He ceded Kalhora, one of the Sindh territories of Sibi-Kachi, to the Khanate of Kalat.WEB,weblink urdukhabrain.pk, 1 January 2018, 1 January 2018,weblink dead, Iranica.com {{dead link |date=May 2016 |bot=medic}}{{cbignore |bot=medic}}WEB,weblink Ghulam Shah Kalhora and Relations With Kutch, 30 December 2014, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150219221911weblink">weblink 19 February 2015, Ahmad Shah Durrani, founder of the Afghan Empire, also won the allegiance of that area's rulers, and many Baloch fought under him during the Third Battle of Panipat. Most of the area would eventually revert to local Baloch control after Afghan rule.

Colonial era

File:Bolan Pass 1842.jpg|thumb|upright|right|A historical sketch of Bolan PassBolan PassIn 1876, northern Baluchistan became one of the Presidencies and provinces of British India in colonial India.BOOK, Henige, David P., Colonial Governors from the Fifteenth Century to the Present: A Comprehensive List, 1970, University of Wisconsin Press, 89, The British began to assume control over the rough desert region in extreme western India known as Baluchistan in the 1870s., During this time from the fall of the Durrani Empire in 1823, four princely states were recognised and reinforced in Balochistan: Makran, Kharan, Las Bela and Kalat. In 1876, Robert Sandeman negotiated the Treaty of Kalat, which brought the Khan's territories, including Kharan, Makran, and Las Bela, under British protection, even though they remained independent princely states.BOOK, Naseer, Dashti, The Baloch and Balochistan: A Historical Account from the Beginning to the Fall of the Baloch State,weblink 2012, Trafford Publishing, 978-1-4669-5896-8, 247, After the Second Afghan War was ended by the Treaty of Gandamak in May 1879, the Afghan Emir ceded the districts of Quetta, Pishin, Harnai, Sibi and Thal Chotiali to British control. On 1 April 1883, the British took control of the Bolan Pass, south-east of Quetta, from the Khan of Kalat. In 1887, small additional areas of Balochistan were declared British territory.BOOK, Peter R. Blood, Pakistan: A Country Study, DIANE Publishing, 1996, 20, In 1893, Sir Mortimer Durand negotiated an agreement with the Amir of Afghanistan, Abdur Rahman Khan, to fix the Durand Line running from Chitral to Balochistan as the boundary between the Emirate of Afghanistan and British-controlled areas.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}} Two devastating earthquakes occurred in Balochistan during British colonial rule: the 1935 Quetta earthquake, which devastated Quetta, and the 1945 Balochistan earthquake with its epicentre in the Makran region.BOOK, Foreign Affairs Pakistan, Volume 32, Issues 11–12, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2005, 257, During the time of the Indian independence movement, "three pro-Congress parties were still active in Balochistan's politics apart from Balochistan's Muslim League", such as the Anjuman-i-Watan Baluchistan, which favoured a united India and opposed its partition.BOOK, Afzal, M. Rafique, Pakistan: History and Politics 1947–1971, 2001, Oxford University Press, 40, 978-0-19-579634-6, Besides the Balochistan Muslim League, three pro-Congress parties were still active in Balochistan's politics: the Anjuman-i Watan, the Jamiatul Ulama u Hind, and the Qalat State National Party., BOOK, Ranjan, Amit, Partition of India: Postcolonial Legacies, 2018, Taylor & Francis, 9780429750526, Furthermore, Congress leadership of Balochistan was united and there was no disagreement over its president, Samad Khan Achakzai. On the other hand, Qazi Isa was the president of the League in Balochistan. Surprisingly, he was neither a Balochi nor a Sardar. Consequently, all Sardars except Jaffar Khan Jamali, were against Qazi Isa for contesting this seat.,

After independence

File:Quetta Railway Station - 40311.jpg|thumb|Quetta Railway StationQuetta Railway StationIn British-ruled Colonial India, Baluchistan contained a Chief Commissioner's province and princely states (including Kalat, Makran, Las Bela and Kharan) that became a part of Pakistan.BOOK, Hasnat, Syed Farooq,weblink Global Security Watch–Pakistan, Praeger, 2011, 978-0-313-34697-2, 94,113, The province's Shahi Jirga (the grand council of tribal eldersWEB, Shahi Jirga Records,weblink live, 2021-09-24, Balochistan Archives, Government of Balochistan Directorate of Archives,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20140307140248weblink">weblink 7 March 2014, ) and the non-official members of the Quetta Municipality, according to the Pakistani narrative,{{Rp|80|quote=According to the official narrative of Pakistan, the referendum in (British) Balochistan decidedly included it into Pakistan.}} agreed to join Pakistan unanimously on 29 June 1947;BOOK,weblink Pakistan's Defence Policy 1947–58, Pervaiz I Cheema, Manuel Riemer, 22 August 1990, Palgrave Macmillan UK, 978-1-349-20942-2, 60–, however, the Shahi Jirga was stripped of its members from the Kalat State prior to the vote.{{Rp|81}} The then-president of the Baluchistan Muslim League, Qazi Muhammad Isa, informed Muhammad Ali Jinnah that "Shahi Jirga in no way represents the popular wishes of the masses" and that members of the Kalat State were "excluded from voting; only representatives from the British part of the province voted and the British part included the leased areas of Quetta, Nasirabad Tehsil, Nushki and Bolan Agency."{{Rp|81}} Following the referendum, on 22 June 1947 the Khan of Kalat received a letter from members of the Shahi Jirga, as well as sardars from the leased areas of Baluchistan, stating that they, "as a part of the Baloch nation, were a part of the Kalat state too" and that if the question of Baluchistan's accession to Pakistan arise, "they should be deemed part of the Kalat state rather than (British) Balochistan".{{Rp|82}} This has brought into question whether an actual vote took place.{{Rp|82}} Political scientist Salman Rafi Sheikh, in locating the origins of the insurgency in Balochistan, says "that Balochistan's accession to Pakistan was, as against the officially projected narrative, not based upon consensus, nor was support for Pakistan overwhelming. What this manipulation indicates is that even before formally becoming a part of Pakistan, Balochistan had fallen a prey to political victimization."BOOK, Sheikh, Salman Rafi, The Genesis of Baloch Nationalism: Politics and Ethnicity in Pakistan, 1947–1977, 2018, Taylor & Francis, 978-1-351-02068-8, {{Rp|82}}Initially aspiring for independence, the Khan of Kalat finally acceded to Pakistan on 27 March 1948 after period of negotiations with Pakistan.NEWS, The princely India, Yaqoob Khan Bangash,weblink 10 May 2015, The News on Sunday, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20151225043014weblink">weblink 25 December 2015, The signing of the Instrument of Accession by Ahmad Yar Khan led his brother, Prince Abdul Karim, to revolt against his brother's decision due to their family rift. in July 1948.BOOK,weblink State and Nation-Building in Pakistan: Beyond Islam and Security, Roger, Gurharpal, Yunas, Talbot, Ian, Routledge, 2015, 978-1-317-44820-4, 82, D. Long, Singh, Samad, Princes Agha Abdul Karim Baloch and Muhammad Rahim refused to lay down arms, leading the Dosht-e Jhalawan in unconventional attacks on the army until 1950.NEWS, Qaiser Butt, Princely Liaisons: The Khan family controls politics in Kalat,weblink The Express Tribune, 22 April 2013, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20151222175413weblink">weblink 22 December 2015, The Prince indulged in Terror activities without any assistance from others.BOOK, Farhan Hanif Siddiqi, The Politics of Ethnicity in Pakistan: The Baloch, Sindhi and Mohajir Ethnic Movements,weblink 2012, Routledge, 978-0-415-68614-3, 71, Jinnah and his successors allowed Yar Khan to retain his title until the province's dissolution in 1955.Insurgencies by Baloch nationalists took place in 1948, 1958–59, 1962–63 and 1973–77, with a new ongoing insurgency by autonomy-seeking Baloch groups since 2003.NEWS, Hussain, Zahid, The battle for Balochistan,weblink Dawn, 25 April 2013, Since Balochistan became part of Pakistan some 65 years ago, Baloch nationalists have led four insurgencies – in 1948, 1958–59, 1962–63 and 1973–1977 – which were brutally suppressed by the state. Now a fifth is under way and this time the insurgents are much stronger. Unlike the past, the educated middle-class youth, rather than tribal leaders, are leading the separatist movement., live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150622220655weblink">weblink 22 June 2015, NEWS, Rashid, Ahmed, Balochistan: The untold story of Pakistan's other war,weblink BBC News, 22 February 2014, The fifth Baloch insurgency against the Pakistan state began in 2003, with small guerrilla attacks by autonomy-seeking Baloch groups who over the years have become increasingly militant and separatist in ideology., live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150728091406weblink">weblink 28 July 2015, While many Baloch support the demand for autonomy, the majority are not interested in seceding from Pakistan.37pc Baloch favour independence: UK survey" {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215072843weblink |date=15 February 2017 }}. thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2017-03-07.At a press conference on 8 June 2015 in Quetta, Balochistan's Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti accused India's prime minister Narendra Modi of openly supporting terrorism. Bugti implicated India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of being responsible for recent attacks at military bases in Smangli and Khalid, and for subverting the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) agreement.WEB,weblink RAW conspiring against CPEC agreement: Sarfraz Bugti, Dunya News,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150903212347weblink">weblink 3 September 2015, dead, WEB,weblink RAW behind Mastung killings: Sarfraz Bugti, 31 May 2015, The News International, Pakistan, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150602034759weblink">weblink 2 June 2015, WEB,weblink RAW more active after CPEC agreement: Sarfraz Bugti, Pakistan Times, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150805023710weblink">weblink 5 August 2015, Gwadar, a region of Balochistan, was a colony of Oman for more than a century, and in the 1960s Pakistan took over the land. Many people in this region are therefore Omani.WEB,weblink Arab legacy lingers as Pakistan's Gwadar grows from tiny fishing town into port city, 29 April 2019, Arab News,

Geography

File:Astola Island.jpg|thumb|Astola IslandAstola IslandBalochistan is situated in the southwest of Pakistan and covers an area of {{convert|347190|km2|mi2}}. It is Pakistan's largest province by area, constituting 44% of Pakistan's total landmass. The province is bordered by Afghanistan to the north and north-west, Iran to the south-west, Punjab and Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to the north-east. To the south lies the Arabian Sea. Balochistan is located on the south-eastern part of the Iranian plateau. It borders the geopolitical regions of the Middle East and Southwest Asia, Central Asia and South Asia. Balochistan lies at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz and provides the shortest route from seaports to Central Asia. Its geographical location has placed the otherwise desolate region in the scope of competing for global interests for all of recorded history.The capital city Quetta is located in a densely populated portion of the Sulaiman Mountains in the northeast of the province. It is situated in a river valley near the Bolan Pass, which has been used as the route of choice from the coast to Central Asia, entering through Afghanistan's Kandahar region. The British and other historic empires have crossed the region to invade Afghanistan by this route.Bolan Pass – Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh EditionBalochistan is rich in exhaustible and renewable resources; it is the second major supplier of natural gas in Pakistan. The province's renewable and human resource potential has not been systematically measured or exploited. Local inhabitants have chosen to live in towns and have relied on sustainable water sources for thousands of years.

Climate

The climate of the upper highlands is characterised by very cold winters and hot summers. In the lower highlands, winters vary from extremely cold in northern districts Ziarat, Quetta, Kalat, Muslim Baagh and Khanozai, where temperatures can drop to {{convert|-20|C|F}}, to milder conditions closer to the Makran coast. Winters are mild on the plains, with temperatures never falling below freezing point. Summers are hot and dry, especially in the arid zones of Chagai and Kharan districts. The plains are also very hot in summer, with temperatures reaching {{convert|50|C|F}}. The record highest temperature, {{convert|53|C|F}}, was recorded in Sibi on 26 May 2010,WEB,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100902112830weblink">weblink dead, Pakmet.com.pk – Pakistan's Biggest Property Website, 2 September 2010, PakMet, exceeding the previous record, {{convert|52|C|F}}. Other hot areas include Turbat and Dalbandin. The desert climate is characterised by hot and very arid conditions. Occasionally, strong windstorms make these areas very inhospitable.

Government and politics

In common with the other provinces of Pakistan, Balochistan has a parliamentary form of government. The ceremonial head of the province is the Governor, who is appointed by the President of Pakistan on the advice of the provincial Chief Minister. The Chief Minister, the province's chief executive, is normally the leader of the largest political party or alliance of parties in the provincial assembly.(File:Governor's House, Quetta, side view.jpg|thumb|Balochistan Governor House Quetta)The unicameral Provincial Assembly of Balochistan comprises 65 seats of which 11 are reserved for women and 3 reserved for non-Muslims. The judicial branch of government is carried out by the Balochistan High Court, which is based in Quetta and headed by a Chief Justice.Besides dominant Pakistan-wide political parties (such as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League (N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party), Balochistan nationalist parties (such as the National Party and the Balochistan National Party (Mengal)) have been prominent in the province.

Administrative divisions

(File:Divisions of Balochistan.jpg|thumb|Divisions of Balochistan)(File:Balochistan Districts.svg|thumb|Note: In this map, Lehri is shown within Sibi District on #27. Sohbatpur and Usta Muhammad is shown within Jafarabad District on #8.Hub is shown within Lasbela District on #17.)For administrative purposes, the province is divided into seven divisions: Kalat, Makran, Nasirabad, Quetta, Sibi, Zhob and Rakhshan. This divisional level was abolished in 2000, but restored after the 2008 election. Each division is under an appointed commissioner. The seven divisions are further subdivided into 36 districts:WEB,weblink Districts, Government of Balochistan, 13 August 2010,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100807000609weblink">weblink 7 August 2010, live, WEB,weblink New districts, Dawn, 23 October 2018, As of June 2021, there are eight divisions. The eighth division, Loralai Division was created by bifurcating Zhob Division.WEB, 2021-06-30, New division, two districts created in Balochistan,weblink Dawn, {| class="wikitable sortable"! Sr. no.! District! Headquarters! Area(km2)! Population(2017)WEB, District Wise Results / Tables (Census – 2017),weblink live, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics,weblink 12 September 2021, 14 September 2021, ! Density(people/km2)! Division|1Awaran District>Awaran|Awaran29,510121,8214Kalat Division>Kalat|2Barkhan|Barkhan3,514171,02549Loralai Division>Loralai|3Kachhi District>Kachhi (Bolan)|Dhadar4,374236,47354Nasirabad Division>Nasirabad|4Chagai District>ChagaiChagai, Pakistan>Chagai44,748COUNTRY ESCAPES MAJOR EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE >URL=HTTP://WWW.DAILYTIMES.COM.PK/DEFAULT.ASP?PAGE=2011STORY_20-1-2011_PG1_8 DATE=20 JANUARY 2011 ARCHIVE-DATE=11 DECEMBER 2013, dead, 226,5175Rakhshan Division>Rakhshan|5Dera Bugti District>Dera Bugti|Dera Bugti10,160313,11031Sibi Division>Sibi|6Gwadar District>Gwadar|Gwadar12,637262,25315Makran Division>Makran|7Harnai District>HarnaiHTTP://WWW.DAWN.COM/NEWS/263890/HARNAI-IS-NEW-DISTRICT-OF-BALOCHISTAN >TITLE=HARNAI IS NEW DISTRICT OF BALOCHISTAN DATE=31 AUGUST 2007 ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20131224100329/HTTP://WWW.DAWN.COM/NEWS/263890/HARNAI-IS-NEW-DISTRICT-OF-BALOCHISTAN, 24 December 2013, |Harnai2,49297,05239Sibi Division>Sibi|8Hub District>HubHub, Balochistan>HubN/AN/AN/AKalat Division>Kalat|9Jafarabad District>Jafarabad|Dera Allahyar1,643513,972313Nasirabad Division>Nasirabad|10Jhal Magsi District>Jhal Magsi|Jhal Magsi3,615148,90041Nasirabad Division>Nasirabad|11Kalat District>KalatKalat, Pakistan>Kalat7,654211,20128Kalat Division>Kalat|12Kech District>Kech (Turbat)Turbat, Balochistan>Turbat22,539907,18240Makran Division>Makran|13Kharan District>KharanKharan, Pakistan>Kharan14,958162,76611Rakhshan Division>Rakhshan|14Kohlu District>Kohlu|Kohlu7,610213,93328Sibi Division>Sibi|15Khuzdar District>Khuzdar|Khuzdar35,380798,89623Kalat Division>Kalat|16Killa Abdullah District>Killa Abdullah|Killa Abdullah3,553323,82391Quetta Division>Quetta|17Killa Saifullah District>Killa Saifullah|Killa Saifullah6,831342,93250Zhob Division>Zhob|18Lasbela District>LasbelaUthal, Pakistan>Uthal15,153576,27138Kalat Division>Kalat|19Loralai District>Loralai|Loralai3,785244,44665Loralai Division>Loralai|20Mastung District>MastungMastung, Pakistan>Mastung3,308265,67680Kalat Division>Kalat|21Musakhel District, Pakistan>Musakhel|Musa Khel Bazar5,728167,24329Loralai Division>Loralai|22Nasirabad District>NasirabadNaseerabad (Balochistan)>Dera Murad Jamali3,387487,847144Nasirabad Division>Nasirabad|23Nushki District>NushkiHTTP://WWW.ARCPAKISTAN.ORG/HTML/CYCLONE/ASSESSMENTREPORT.PDF >ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20110725013424/HTTP://WWW.ARCPAKISTAN.ORG/HTML/CYCLONE/ASSESSMENTREPORT.PDF ARCHIVE-DATE=2011-07-25 PUBLISHER=AMERICAN REFUGEE COMMITTEE ACCESS-DATE= 16 FEBRUARY 2014, |Nushki5,797178,94731Rakhshan Division>Rakhshan|24Panjgur District>Panjgur|Panjgur16,891315,35319Makran Division>Makran|25Pishin District>PishinPishin, Pakistan>Pishin6,218736,903119Quetta Division>Quetta|26Quetta District>Quetta|Quetta3,4472,269,473658Quetta Division>Quetta|27Sherani|Sherani4,310152,95235Zhob Division>Zhob|28Sibi District>Sibi|Sibi8,429253,21030Sibi Division>Sibi|29Washuk District>Washuk|Washuk29,510176,2064.0Rakhshan Division>Rakhshan|30Zhob District>Zhob|Zhob15,987310,35419Zhob Division>Zhob|31Ziarat District>Ziarat|Ziarat3,301160,09549Sibi Division>Sibi|32Sohbatpur District>Sohbatpur|Sohbatpur800200,426250Nasirabad Division>Nasirabad|33Shaheed Sikandarabad District>Shaheed SikandarabadSurab, Pakistan>Surab762200,857263Kalat Division>Kalat|34Duki District>DukiDuki (town)>Duki4,233152,97736Loralai Division>Loralai|35Chaman District>Chaman|Chaman1,341434,561324Quetta Division>Quetta|36Usta Muhammad District>Usta Muhammad|Usta MuhammadN/AN/AN/ANasirabad Division>Nasirabad{{clear}}

Demographics

{| class="toccolours" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="float:right; margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size:95%;"! colspan="3" style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"|Historical populations!align="right"|Census||Population||Urban

---

1901align="right"5}}N/A1911align="right"5}}N/A1921align="right"5}}N/A1931align="right"5}}N/A1941align="right"5}}13.30%{{rp|2}}1951align="right"|12.38%1961align="right"|16.87%1972align="right"|16.45%1981align="right"|15.62%1998align="right"|23.89%2017align="right"|27.55% Balochistan's population density is low due to the mountainous terrain and scarcity of water. In March 2012, preliminary census figures showed that the population of Balochistan, not including the districts of Khuzdar, Kech and Panjgur, had reached 13,162,222, an increase of 139.3% from 5,501,164 in 1998. The population constituted 6.85% of Pakistan's total population. This was the largest increase in population in any province of Pakistan during that time period, almost thrice the national increase of 46.9%.NEWS,weblink Pak population increased by 46.9% between 1998 and 2011, The Times of India, 29 March 2012, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20160129125417weblink">weblink 29 January 2016, WEB, Population, Area and Density by Region/Province, 1998, Federal Bureau of Statistics, Government of Pakistan 2009,weblink dead, 18 November 2008,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20081118145343weblink">weblink WEB, Population shoots up by 47 percent since 1998, Thenews.com.pk, 29 March 2012,weblink dead, 1 July 2012,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120701193658weblink">weblink Official estimates of Balochistan's population grew from approximately 7.45 million in 2003 to 7.8 million in 2005.Pakistan Balochistan Economic Report: From Periphery to Core (In Two Volumes) – Volume II: Full Report. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501074227weblink |date=1 May 2011 }} The World Bank. May 2008. "The Balochistan population totalled 4.5 million in 1981/82 and 7.8 million in 2004/05..." "NIPS estimates that Balochistan's population growth will slow down to 1.3 percent by 2025..." The 2017 Census enumerated a population of 12,344,408.

Languages and ethnicities

{{Pie chart color1 = limegreenPashto >value2 = 35.34 |color2 = orangeBrahui language>Brahui color3 = crimsonSindhi language>Sindhi color4 = steelblueSaraiki language>Saraiki color5 = aquaPunjabi language>Punjabi color6 = redvalue7 =3.71 |color7 = grey|thumb=left}}According to the preliminary results of the 2017 census, the languages with the most native speakers in the province are Balochi, spoken by 35.49% of the population, and Pashto, whose share at 35.34% is a marked increase on the 1998 census, when it stood at 29.6%. The Pasthuns mainly inhabit the north of Balochistan and form the majority in Quetta. Baloch on the other hand are found throughout Balochistan, but most highly concentrated in the west and south of the province. Brahui is spoken by 17.12% mainly in the central part of Balochistan. Other languages include Sindhi ({{sigfig|4.56|2}}%), Saraiki ({{sigfig|2.65|2}}%), Punjabi ({{sigfig|1.13|2}}%), and Urdu ({{sigfig|0.81|2}}%).WEB,weblink Percentage Distribution of Households by Language Usually Spoken and Region/Province, 1998 Census, Pakistan Statistical Year Book 2008, Federal Bureau of Statistics – Government of Pakistan, 2 April 2020, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20160205075850weblink">weblink 5 February 2016, Balochi forms the majority in 21 districts and Pashto forms majority in 9 districts of Balochistan.WEB,weblink Number of Balochi-speaking people in Balochistan falls, Mubarak Zeb, Khan, 11 September 2017, Dawn, Brahui has majority in 4 districts. In the Lasbela, Hub districts and in Kachhi plain region a large minority of the population speaks Lasi and Siraiki,ENCYCLOPEDIA,weblink Balochistān, Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009, live,weblink 25 December 2009, which are dialects of Sindhi.Cf. LSI, 8, 1, 158, and BOOK, Scholz, Fred, Nomadism & colonialism : a hundred years of Baluchistan, 1872–1972, 2002, 1974, Karachi ; Oxford ; New York, Oxford University Press, 978-0-19-579638-4, 29, According to the Ethnologue, households speaking Balochi, whose primary dialect is Makrani constitutes 13%, Rukhshani 10%, Sulemani 7%, and Khetrani 3% of the population. Other languages spoken are Lasi, Urdu, Punjabi, Hazargi, Sindhi, Saraiki, Dehvari, Dari, Tajik, Hindko, Uzbek, and Hindki.The 2005 census concerning Afghans in Pakistan showed that a total of 769,268Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU), Afghans in Quetta. Settlements, Livelihoods, Support Networks and Cross-Border Linkages, January 2006, available at:weblink [accessed 7 January 2013] Afghan refugees were temporarily staying in Balochistan. However, there are probably fewer Afghans living in Balochistan today as many refugees repatriated in 2013. As of 2015, there are only 327,778 registered Afghan refugees according to the UNHCR.WEB,weblink Law and order issues: Afghan refugees 'do not want to go back home', The Express Tribune, 16 January 2015, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150802232928weblink">weblink 2 August 2015,

Religion

{{See also|Hinduism in Balochistan|Baluchistan Agency#Religion}}According to the 2017 Census, nearly all of the population of Balochistan were Muslims. There were also Hindu and Christian minorities in the province. The Hindu population in the province was approximately 49,133 (including the Scheduled Castes).WEB,weblinkpopulation_census/census_2017_tables/pakistan/Table09n.pdf, https:ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009weblinkpopulation_census/census_2017_tables/pakistan/Table09n.pdf, 2022-10-09, live, Population by Religion, 8 August 2021, WEB, Population by Religion, http:www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/tables/POPULATION%20BY%20RELIGION.pdf, pbs.gov.pk, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 14 June 2021, 19 July 2019,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20190719192518weblink">weblinktables/POPULATION%20BY%20RELIGION.pdf, dead, The Shri Hinglaj Mata mandir which is the largest Hindu pilgrimage centre in Pakistan is situated in Balochistan.WEB, https:www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2019/01/muslim-majority-country-hindu-goddess-lives-pakistan-pictures/,weblink dead, 10 January 2019, In a Muslim-majority country, a Hindu goddess lives on, 10 January 2019, Culture & History, There was also a Christian minority of 26,462 individuals in the province.WEB,weblink Population Distribution by Religion, 1998 Census, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 26 December 2016, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20161226023307weblink">weblink 26 December 2016, {| class="wikitable sortable"|+ Religion in Balochistan (1901–2017)! rowspan="2" |Religiousgroup! colspan="2" |1901WEB,weblink CENSUS OF INDIA, 1901 VOLUME V(A) BALUCHISTAN PART II IMPERIAL TABLES, 22 January 2023, {{rp|5}}! colspan="2" |1911WEB,weblink CENSUS OF INDIA, 1911 VOLUME IV BALUCHISTAN Part II TABLES, 23 September 2021, {{rp|9–13}}! colspan="2" |1921WEB,weblink CENSUS OF INDIA, 1921 VOLUME IV BALUCHISTAN Part I REPORT; Part II TABLES, 20 January 2023, {{rp|47–52}}! colspan="2" |1931WEB,weblink Census of India, 1931 Volume IV Baluchistan Parts I & II, 22 January 2023, {{rp|149}}! colspan="2" |1941WEB,weblink CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME XIV BALUCHISTAN, 23 September 2021, {{rp|13–18}}! colspan="2" |1951WEB,weblink CENSUS OF PAKISTAN, 1951 POPULATION ACCORDING TO RELIGION TABLE 6, 24 January 2023, {{rp|2}}! colspan="2" |1998WEB,weblink Population Distribution by Religion, 1998 Census, 23 January 2023, ! colspan="2" |2017WEB, SALIENT FEATURES OF FINAL RESULTS CENSUS-2017,weblinkpopulation_census/sailent_feature_%20census_2017.pdf, 8 August 2021, 29 August 2021, https:web.archive.org/web/20210829194924weblink dead, !{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}!{{abbr|Pop.|Population}}!{{Abbr|%|percentage}}Islam (File:Star and Crescent.svg>15px)| 765,368 765368 2 }}| 782,648 782648 2 }}| 733,477 733477 2 }}| 798,093 798093 2 }}| 785,181 785181 2 }}| 1,137,063 1137063 2 }}| 6,484,006 6484006 2 }}| 12,255,528 12255528 2 }}Hinduism (File:Om.svg>15px)| 38,158 38158 2 }}| 38,326 38326 2 }}| 51,348 51348 2 }}| 53,681 53681 2 }}| 54,394 54394 2 }}| 13,087 13087 2 }}| 39,146 39146 2 }}| 49,378 49378 2 }}Sikhism (File:Khanda.svg>15px)| 2,972 2972 2 }}| 8,390 8390 2 }}| 7,741 7741 2 }}| 8,425 8425 2 }}| 12,044 12044 2 }}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}Christianity (File:Christian cross.svg>15px)| 4,026 4026 2 }}| 5,085 5085 2 }}| 6,693 6693 2 }}| 8,059 8059 2 }}| 6,056 6056 2 }}| 3,937 3937 2 }}| 26,462 26462 2 }}| 33,330 33330 2 }}Zoroastrianism (File:Faravahar.svg>15px) | 166 166 2 }}| 170 170 2 }}| 165 165 2 }}| 167 167 2 }}| 75 75 2 }}| 79 79 2 }}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}Judaism (File:Star_of_David.svg>15px)| 48 48 2 }}| 57 57 2 }}| 19 19 3 }}| 17 17 3 }}| 19 19 3 }}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}Jainism (File:Jain_Prateek_Chihna.svg>15px)| 8 8 3 }}| 10 10 3 }}| 17 17 3 }}| 17 17 3 }}| 11 11 3 }}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}Buddhism (File:Dharma_Wheel_(2).svg>15px)| 0 0 2 }}| 16 16 3 }}| 160 160 2 }}| 68 68 2 }}| 43 43 2 }}| 1 1 3 }}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}Ahmadiyya (File:Liwa-e-Ahmadiyya_1-2.svg>15px)| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| {{N/a}}| 9,800 9800 2 }}| 2,469 2469 2 }}| Others| 0 0 2 }}| 1 1 3 }}| 5 5 3 }}| 75 75 3 }}| 12 12 3 }}| 0 0 2 }}| 6,471 6471 2 }}| 3,703 3703 2 }}! Total Population! 810,746!{{Percentage | 810746 | 810746 | 2 }}! 834,703!{{Percentage | 834703 | 834703 | 2 }}! 799,625!{{Percentage | 799625 | 799625 | 2 }}! 868,617!{{Percentage | 868617 | 868617 | 2 }}! 857,835!{{Percentage | 857835 | 857835 | 2 }}! 1,154,167!{{Percentage | 1154167 | 1154167 | 2 }}! 6,565,885!{{Percentage | 6565885 | 6565885 | 2 }}! 12,344,408!{{Percentage | 12344408 | 12344408 | 2 }}

Education

{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2020}}The literacy rate of the province in 2017 was 43.6%, an increase from 24.8% in 1998.WEB,weblink TheNews Epaper- e.thenews.com.pk, e.thenews.com.pk,

Medical colleges

• Bolan University of Medical & Health Sciences
• Makran Medical College, Turbat

Engineering universities

• Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology, Khuzdar
• Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta

General universities

• University of Balochistan, Quetta
• Al-Hamd Islamic University, Quetta
• Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University, Quetta
• Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Lasbela
• University of Turbat, Turbat
• University of Loralai, Loralai
• University of Gwadar, Gwadar

Economy

The economy of Balochistan is largely based upon agriculture, livestock, fisheries, production of natural gas, coal and other minerals.BOOK, Chima, Jugdep S., Ethnic Subnationalist Insurgencies in South Asia: Identities, Interests and Challenges to State Authority, 2015, Routledge, 978-1138839922, 126,weblinkweblink 20 March 2018, dead, Though agriculture and livestock play a dominant role in the provincial economy by contributing 47% of its GDP, it faced intense damages due to the 2022 Pakistan floods. The floods killed around 500,000 of Balochistan's livestock and damaged cultivation and agricultural output in 32 out of 35 districts of the province. The Lasbela district was the worst hit as the floods washed away fourt-fifth's of the homes, crops and livestock.WEB, The post-floods mental health crisis in Balochistan, 26 January 2023,weblink Due to the floods and severe drought conditions, the province faces food insecurity and is 85% dependent on the Sindh and Punjab provinces for the supply of wheat.WEB, 2023-01-09, Amid wheat crisis, Quetta residents protest delay in provision of subsidized flour,weblink 2023-01-31, Arab News PK, en, WEB, Pakistan crisis: Stampedes reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan as flour crisis worsens,weblink 2023-01-31, Business Today, 10 January 2023, hi, Furthermore, with the exception of Quetta, Balochistan has been called a "neglected province where a majority of population lacks amenities".WEB,weblink Baloch ruling elite's lifestyle outshines that of Arab royals, Dawn, 22 March 2012, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150706230334weblink">weblink 6 July 2015, Although the province is rich in natural resources capable of uplifting its economy, most of them have not been fully utilised for the welfare of the population and are yet to be explored or developed.WEB, Husain, Ishrat, 2021-11-18, Balochistan's development,weblink 2023-01-26, Dawn, en, Since the mid-1970s the province's contribution to Pakistan's GDP has dropped from 4.9 to 3.7%,Jetly, Rajsree. "Resurgence of the Baluch Movement in Pakistan: Emerging Perspectives and Challenges," in Jetly, Rajshree. ed. Pakistan in Regional and Global Politics (New York: Routledge, 2009): 215. and as of 2007 it had the highest poverty rate and infant and maternal mortality rate, and the lowest literacy rate in comparison to other provinces,Baloch, Sanaullah. "The Baloch Conflict: Towards a Lasting Peace," Pakistan Security Research Unit, No. 7 (March 2007): 5–6. factors some allege have contributed to the insurgency.JOURNAL, Kupecz, Mickey, Pakistan's Baloch Insurgency: History, Conflict Drivers, and Regional Implications, International Affairs Review, 20, 3, 96–7,weblink dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150701152435weblink">weblink 1 July 2015, However, in seventh NFC awards, Punjab province and Federal contributed to increase Baluchistan share more than its entitled population based share.WEB,weblink 7th NFC Award signed in Gwadar, dawn.com, 31 December 2009, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150924141136weblink">weblink 24 September 2015, In Balochistan poverty is increasing. In 2001–2002 poverty incidences were at 48% and by 2005–2006 these were at 50.9%.BOOK, Webb, Matthew, The Political Economy of Conflict in South Asia, 2015, Palgrave Macmillan, 978-1137397430, 64–65,weblinkweblink 20 March 2018, dead, According to a report on Dawn, the rate of multidimensional poverty in Balochistan had risen to 71% by 2016.WEB,weblink Poverty in Balochistan, 8 November 2016, Several major development projects, including the construction of a new deep sea port at the strategically important town of Gwadar,WEB,weblink Gawader, 2006-11-19, Pakistan Board of Investment,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20061002105003weblink">weblink 2006-10-02, are in progress in Balochistan. The port is projected to be the hub of an energy and trade corridor to and from China, Middle East and the Central Asian republics. The Mirani Dam on the Dasht River, {{convert|50|km}} west of Turbat in the Makran Division, is being built to provide water to expand agricultural land use by {{convert|35000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} where it would otherwise be unsustainable.WEB,weblink Mirani Dam Project, 19 November 2006, National Engineering Services Pakistan, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20060206152834weblink">weblink 6 February 2006, In the district Lasbela, there is an oil refinery owned by Byco International Incorporated (BII), which is capable of processing 120,000 barrels of oil per day. A power station is located adjacent to the refinery.WEB,weblink A matter of weeks: Byco ready to utilise its Hub refinery, 4 July 2014, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141213014601weblink">weblink 13 December 2014, Several cement plants and a marble factory are also located there.WEB,weblink Attock Cement first-half profit declines, Pakistan, International Cement Review, 30 December 2014, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141230090114weblink">weblink 30 December 2014, WEB,weblink International Conference on Marble Industry held at Expo Centre – AAJ News, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141230100308weblink">weblink 30 December 2014, WEB,weblink Southern cement companies win freight subsidy, 20 April 2010, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141230090212weblink">weblink 30 December 2014, One of the world's largest ship breaking yards is located on the coast.WEB,weblink Ship-breaking at Gadani, 23 October 2011, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20141230100113weblink">weblink 30 December 2014,

Natural resource extraction

Balochistan's share of Pakistan's national income has historically ranged between 3.7% to 4.9%.WEB,weblink Provincial Accounts of Pakistan: Methodology and Estimates 1973–2000, 1 January 2018, 2 January 2018,weblink dead, Since 1972, Balochistan's gross income has grown in size by 2.7 times.Siterresources.worldbank.org {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501074227weblink |date=1 May 2011 }} Outside Quetta, the resource extraction infrastructure of the province is gradually developing but still lags far behind other parts of Pakistan.The agreements for royalty rights and ownership of mineral rights were reached during a period of unprecedented natural disasters, economic, social, political, and cultural unrest in Pakistan. The negotiations were widely considered to be insufficiently transparent.WEB,weblink $260 billion gold mines going for a song, behind closed doors, Thenews.com.pk, live,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120113120248weblink">weblink 13 January 2012,

Culture

Tourism

{{Multiple issues|section=yes|{{Expand section|date=June 2020}}{{Update section|date=June 2020}}}}

Places of interest

Following is a list of a few tourist attractions and places of interest in Balochistan:

• Astola Island
• Bolan Pass
• Dureji
• Gadani Beach
• Gadani Ship Breaking Yard
• Gwadar
• Hanna Lake
• Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park, near Quetta.
• Hinglaj Mata Temples
• Hingol National Park
• Hub Dam
• Jiwani Coastal Wetland
• Khuzdar
• Kund Malir
• Makran Coastal Highway
• Mehrgarh
• Moola Chotok
• Pir Ghaib Waterfall, Balochistan
• Quaid-e-Azam Residency
• Quetta
• The princess of hope, Balochistan
• Urak Valley
• Zhob
• Ziarat Juniper Forest
• Ziarat

Villages

• Kappar
• Lahor

See also

• Balochistan (geographic region)
• Balochistan, Afghanistan
• Balochistan, Iran
• Goth Gorshani
• List of cities in Balochistan, Pakistan by population
• List of cultural heritage sites in Balochistan, Pakistan
• Insurgency in Balochistan
• Randghar China

{{clear}}

References

{{Notelist}}{{Reflist}}

Further reading

• BOOK, Johnson, E.A., Lithofacies, depositional environments, and regional stratigraphy of the lower Eocene Ghazij Formation, Balochistan, Pakistan, 1999, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1599, U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C.,
• (:fr:Philippe Fabry|Philippe Fabry), Balouchistan, le désert insoumis, Paris, Nathan Image, 1991, 136 p., {{ISBN|2-09-240036-3}}

External links

{{Sister project links|commons=Balochistan (Pakistan)|commonscat=yes|voy=Balochistan, Pakistan}}

• {{Official websiteweblink}}
• Sibi District; {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111184752weblink |date=11 January 2019 }}
• Guide to weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20130121095120weblink">Balochistan
• weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20150614012814weblink">Balochistan Archives—Preserving our Past
• {{Curlie|Regional/Asia/Pakistan/Provinces/Baluchistan|Balochistan}}

{{Balochistan, Pakistan topics}}{{Administrative units of Pakistan}}{{Districts of Balochistan (Pakistan)}}{{Pakistan topics}}{{Authority control}}