Balochistan

Geography

Balochistan is a large, dry area that stretches across parts of three countries: Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. It is mostly made up of deserts and mountains and is home to the ethnic Baloch people.

Resources and Importance

Because Balochistan sits near important trade routes and has lots of valuable minerals, oil, and gas, many people pay attention to it. Its long coast along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman also makes it special. The area includes many different lands, from the Makran Coast to parts of several provinces in the three countries it touches.

Etymology

The name "Balochistan" comes from the Baloch people. We don't know much about them before Islam, so they may have had a different name originally. They likely got the name "Baloch" after moving to Balochistan around the 10th century.

Some historians think the word "Baloch" might be connected to an old name, Meluḫḫa, used by ancient peoples like the Sumerians and Akkadians for the Indus Valley civilisation. Over time, this name changed. Others suggest it might mean "high country" or refer to a place far to the west.

During Alexander the Great's time, the Greeks called the area Gedrosia, but we don't know what this name means.

History

Main article: History of Balochistan

Prehistoric

Balochistan is one of the world's oldest places where people lived. The oldest signs of humans there are from the Paleolithic era. These include hunting camps and stone tools. The first villages were around 7000–6000 BCE, such as Mehrgarh in the Kachi Plain. This might make Balochistan the oldest civilisation in the world.

These villages grew during a time called the Chalcolithic period. They traded things like chank shell, lapis lazuli, turquoise, and ceramics. By 2500 BCE, the area now called Pakistani Balochistan was part of the Indus Valley civilisation.

Classical period

From the 1st to the 3rd century CE, the area was ruled by the Pāratarājas, a Hindu group of Indo-Scythian kings. We know about them mostly from their coins, which show the ruler’s face and sometimes a swastika symbol.

During the time of Alexander the Great and Darius III, the Baloch people were allies of Darius III. After Darius III lost, the Baloch faced harsh treatment from the winners.

Medieval period

During this time, Balochistan was attacked by groups like the Ghaznavids, Mongols, Timurids, and Oguhz Turks. The Baloch people had hard and unfriendly relations with these groups, so many Baloch tribes moved to faraway places.

The Hindu Sewa Dynasty ruled parts of Balochistan. The Sibi Division is named after Rani Sewi, a queen from this dynasty.

The area became fully Islamic by the 9th century and was ruled by different groups, including the Saffarids and later the Ghaznavids. The Baloch tribes often fought against these rulers.

Early Modern era

The Khanate of Kalat was the first united government in the history of Balochistan. It started in 1666 from a group of nomadic Brahui tribes and later became independent from the Mughal Empire. It was later part of the Afghan Durrani Empire but became independent again.

Tribalism and nomadism

In old times, Baloch tribal groups were often nomads who moved with their animals. They felt stronger than settled farmers because their way of life made them tough and active.

When Baloch tribes moved to places with settled people, they had to protect themselves. They formed groups and chose leaders who could give them safety and help.

British occupation

The British took control of Balochistan in 1839. In the 1870s, it became part of the British Indian Empire. The British wanted to use Balochistan as a path to Afghanistan and to protect their lands from Iran and Afghanistan.

Baloch people did not want British rule or to be part of Afghanistan. In 1840, the Mari tribe rebelled, and there was a battle where many British soldiers were killed.

Post-colonial history

In 2021, a big earthquake in Balochistan caused many deaths. There were also big earthquakes in 2013.

Culture

Main article: Balochi culture

See also: Balochi clothing, Balochi cuisine, Balochi handicrafts, Balochi rug, and Culture of Balochistan

The Baloch people have special cultural values that help define who they are. These values grew strong during the 1200s and 1500s when the Baloch faced challenges and moved to new places. Their life as people who move with their animals and their strong sense of independence helped shape their unique identity.

One important tradition among the Baloch is called Med o Maraka. It is used to solve problems between people. It involves someone who made a mistake going to the person they affected and asking for forgiveness.

Baloch people have their own special way of dressing. Both men and women wear clothes that show their long-standing customs. Men often wear loose trousers, a shirt, and a turban, while women wear a long dress and trousers with a headscarf.

Music

See also: Balochi music

The Baloch have beautiful music, with one famous type called Zahirok, which they call their “classical music.” Traditional Balochi music uses many different instruments, including suroz, donali, ghaychak, dohol, sorna, rubab, kemenche, tamburag, and benju.

Religion

Before Islam, the Baloch people followed the Mazdakian and Manichean sects of the Zoroastrian religion. Later, they became converted to Islam during the Arab conquest in the seventh century. Today, nearly all Baloch belong to the Sunni sect of Islam.

Governance and political disputes

Further information: Insurgency in Balochistan and Sistan and Baluchestan insurgency

The Balochistan region is shared by three countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. Most of it is in Pakistan, which has a large province named Balochistan. Many people there are from the Baloch ethnic group. In Iran, there are also Baloch people living in several areas. In Afghanistan, some parts of Balochistan are included in different provinces.

Sometimes, groups in Balochistan have wanted to be independent from these countries. This has led to disagreements and conflicts. These issues have caused problems for the people living there. Some groups have had fights with the governments of these countries, asking for more control over the area's resources. This has led to difficulties for many people.

Recently, there was an incident where a train in Pakistan was taken over by a group of people, causing worry for those on board. The area is also important for big plans by countries like China for trade routes.