Editing Balochistan, Pakistan (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of Balochistan}}

===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 Age]] in the world.]]
Balochistan 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,<ref>{{cite book|title=The Archaeology of Measurement: Comprehending Heaven, Earth and Time in Ancient Societies|author1=Iain Morley|author2=Colin Renfrew|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TzrNgAsJY1MC&q=mehgrah+BCE&pg=PA107|page=107|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2010|isbn=9780521119900}}</ref> 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-Scythians|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, Pakistan|Kalat]].<ref name="FowleRai1923">{{cite book |last1=Fowle |first1=T. C. |last2=Rai |first2=Diwan Jamiat |title=Baluchistan |date=1923 |publisher=Directorate of Archives, Government of Balochistan |page=100 |quote=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.}}</ref><ref name="Nisa1979">{{cite book |title=Balochistan Through the Ages: Geography and history |date=1979 |publisher=Nisa Traders |page=316 |quote=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.}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Quddus1990">{{cite book |last1=Quddus |first1=Syed Abdul |title=The Tribal Baluchistan |date=1990 |publisher=[[Ferozsons]] |isbn=978-969-0-10047-4 |page=49 |quote=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.}}</ref>

The region came under rule during the reign of King [[Kay Khosrow]] of Iran of [[Kayanian dynasty]]. The [[Baloch people|Baloch]], under the command of [[Ashkash]],<ref name=":ashkash">{{Cite web |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/askas-an-iranian-hero-in-the-reign-of-kay-kosrow |title=AŠKAŠ| website=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]]}}</ref> conquered this land, which Makran was a part of Balochistan.<ref name=":Two Essays on Baloch History and Folklore">{{cite book |last=Badalkhan |first=Sabir |year=2013 |title=Two Essays on Baloch History and Folklore |series=Balochistan Monograph Series, V |page=100 |location=Naples, Italy |publisher= Universita degli studi di Napoli |isbn=978-88-6719-060-7}}</ref>

The remnants of the earliest people in Balochistan were the [[Brahui people]], a [[Dravidian language|Dravidian speaking people]]. The Brahuis retained the Dravidian language throughout the millennias.<ref name="Andrew Dalby - Hindu origin of Brahui people">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CnckpL8auSIC&q=brahui+hindu&pg=PA96 |title=Dictionary of Languages: The Definitive Reference to More Than 400 Languages |date=2004-03-01 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=9780231115698 |access-date=2010-09-09}}</ref>

Although during the [[Stone Age|Stone]] and [[Bronze Age]] and [[Alexander the Great]]'s empire an indigenous population existed, the [[Baloch people|Baloch]] people themselves did not enter the region until the 14th century CE.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Balochistan {{!}} province, Pakistan {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Balochistan |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> A theory of the origin of the [[Baloch people]], the largest ethnic group in the region, is that they are of [[Medes|Median]] descent.<ref>M. Longworth Dames, Balochi Folklore, ''Folklore'', Vol. 13, No. 3 (29 September 1902), pp. 252–274</ref>

===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 District|Bolan]]).<ref>Tabqat ibn Saad, Vol. 8, p. 471</ref> 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, Pakistan|Kalat]].

During the caliphate of [[Ali ibn Abi Talib|Ali]], a revolt broke out in southern Balochistan's Makran region.<ref>{{cite book |last=Saxena |first=Sunil K. |title=History of Medieval India |publisher=Pinnacle Technology |year=2011}}</ref> 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.<ref>Tarikh al Khulfa, Vol. 1, pp. 214–215, 229</ref>

===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 dynasty|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]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://urdukhabrain.pk/2018/01/01/urdu-news-11685 |title=urdukhabrain.pk |date=1 January 2018 |archive-date=1 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101195939/https://urdukhabrain.pk/2018/01/01/urdu-news-11685 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[http://www.iranica.com/newsite/index.isc?Article=http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v3f6/v3f6a030.html Iranica.com] {{dead link |date=May 2016 |bot=medic}}{{cbignore |bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://panhwar.org/Article26.htm |title=Ghulam Shah Kalhora and Relations With Kutch |access-date=30 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219221911/http://panhwar.org/Article26.htm |archive-date=19 February 2015}}</ref> [[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 Pass]], Balochistan, Pakistan]]

In 1876, [[Baluchistan (Chief Commissioner's Province)|northern Baluchistan]] became one of the [[presidencies and provinces of British India]] in [[colonial India]].<ref name="Henige1970">{{cite book |last1=Henige |first1=David P. |title=Colonial Governors from the Fifteenth Century to the Present: A Comprehensive List |date=1970 |publisher=University of Wisconsin Press |page=89 |quote=The British began to assume control over the rough desert region in extreme western India known as Baluchistan in the 1870s.}}</ref> During this time from the fall of the [[Durrani Empire]] in 1823, four [[princely state]]s were recognised and reinforced in Balochistan: [[Makran (princely state)|Makran]], [[Kharan (princely state)|Kharan]], [[Las Bela (princely state)|Las Bela]] and [[Kalat (princely state)|Kalat]]. In 1876, [[Robert Groves Sandeman|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.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Naseer |last1=Dashti |title=The Baloch and Balochistan: A Historical Account from the Beginning to the Fall of the Baloch State |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xIjyLNpusbAC |year=2012 |publisher=Trafford Publishing |isbn=978-1-4669-5896-8 |page=247}}</ref> After the [[Second Afghan War]] was ended by the [[Treaty of Gandamak]] in May 1879, the [[Mohammad Yaqub Khan|Afghan Emir]] ceded the districts of Quetta, [[Pishin District|Pishin]], [[Harnai District|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.<ref>{{cite book |author=Peter R. Blood |title=Pakistan: A Country Study |publisher=DIANE Publishing |year=1996 |page=20}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite book |title=Foreign Affairs Pakistan, Volume 32, Issues 11–12 |publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs |year=2005 |page=257}}</ref> 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 (Opposition)|Muslim League]]", such as the [[Anjuman-i-Watan Baluchistan]], which [[Opposition to the partition of India|favoured a united India and opposed its partition]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Afzal |first1=M. Rafique |title=Pakistan: History and Politics 1947–1971 |date=2001 |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=40 |isbn=978-0-19-579634-6 |quote=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.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Ranjan |first1=Amit |title=Partition of India: Postcolonial Legacies |date=2018 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9780429750526 |quote=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.}}</ref>

===After independence===
[[File:Quetta Railway Station - 40311.jpg|thumb|[[Quetta Railway Station]]]]
In British-ruled Colonial India, Baluchistan contained a [[Balochistan (Chief Commissioner's Province)|Chief Commissioner's province]] and [[princely state]]s (including [[Kalat (princely state)|Kalat]], [[Makran (princely state)|Makran]], [[Las Bela (princely state)|Las Bela]] and [[Kharan (princely state)|Kharan]]) that became a part of Pakistan.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hasnat |first=Syed Farooq |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KiELa2EoA04C |title=Global Security Watch–Pakistan |publisher=Praeger |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-313-34697-2 |pages=94,113}}</ref> The province's Shahi [[Jirga]] (the grand council of tribal elders<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shahi Jirga Records |url=http://balochistanarchives.gob.pk/Shahi-Jirga-Records |url-status=live |access-date=2021-09-24 |website=Balochistan Archives |publisher=Government of Balochistan Directorate of Archives |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307140248/http://balochistanarchives.gob.pk/Shahi-Jirga-Records |archive-date=7 March 2014}}</ref>) and the non-official members of the [[Quetta|Quetta Municipality]],<ref name="CheemaRiemer1990" /> according to the Pakistani narrative,<ref name="rafisheikh" />{{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;<ref name="CheemaRiemer1990">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CX6xCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA60 |title=Pakistan's Defence Policy 1947–58 |author1=Pervaiz I Cheema |author2=Manuel Riemer |date=22 August 1990 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK |isbn=978-1-349-20942-2 |pages=60–}}</ref> however, the Shahi Jirga was stripped of its members from the Kalat State prior to the vote.<ref name="rafisheikh"/>{{Rp|81}} The then-president of the Baluchistan Muslim League, [[Qazi Mohammad Isa|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."<ref name="rafisheikh"/>{{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 [[sardar]]s 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".<ref name="rafisheikh"/>{{Rp|82}} This has brought into question whether an actual vote took place.<ref name="rafisheikh"/>{{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."<ref name="rafisheikh">{{cite book |last1=Sheikh |first1=Salman Rafi |title=The Genesis of Baloch Nationalism: Politics and Ethnicity in Pakistan, 1947–1977 |date=2018 |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] |isbn=978-1-351-02068-8}}</ref>{{Rp|82}}

Initially aspiring for independence,<ref name="CheemaRiemer1990" /> the Khan of Kalat finally acceded to Pakistan on 27 March 1948 after period of negotiations with Pakistan.<ref>{{cite news |title=The princely India |author=Yaqoob Khan Bangash |url=http://tns.thenews.com.pk/the-princely-india/#.WNR5woWcHIV |date=10 May 2015 |newspaper=The News on Sunday |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225043014/http://tns.thenews.com.pk/the-princely-india/#.WNR5woWcHIV |archive-date=25 December 2015}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Qaiser Butt-2013"/> in July 1948.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nzivCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA82 |title=State and Nation-Building in Pakistan: Beyond Islam and Security |first1=Roger |first2=Gurharpal |first3=Yunas |last4=Talbot |first4=Ian |publisher=Routledge |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-317-44820-4 |page=82 |last1=D. Long |last2=Singh |last3=Samad}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Qaiser Butt-2013">{{cite news |author=Qaiser Butt |title=Princely Liaisons: The Khan family controls politics in Kalat |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/538820/princely-liaisons-the-khan-family-controls-politics-in-kalat/ |newspaper=The Express Tribune |date=22 April 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222175413/http://tribune.com.pk/story/538820/princely-liaisons-the-khan-family-controls-politics-in-kalat/ |archive-date=22 December 2015}}</ref> The Prince indulged in Terror activities without any assistance from others.<ref name="Siddiqi2012">{{cite book |author=Farhan Hanif Siddiqi |title=The Politics of Ethnicity in Pakistan: The Baloch, Sindhi and Mohajir Ethnic Movements |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tDb6i9x1FKgC&pg=PA71 |year=2012 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-68614-3 |page=71}}</ref> Jinnah and his successors allowed Yar Khan to retain his title until the province's dissolution in 1955.

[[Balochistan conflict|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.<ref name="Hussain-4-25-13">{{cite news |last1=Hussain |first1=Zahid |title=The battle for Balochistan |url=http://www.dawn.com/news/794058/the-battle-for-balochistan |work=Dawn |date=25 April 2013 |quote=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. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150622220655/http://www.dawn.com/news/794058/the-battle-for-balochistan |archive-date=22 June 2015}}</ref><ref name=bbc-22-2-14>{{cite news |last1=Rashid |first1=Ahmed |title=Balochistan: The untold story of Pakistan's other war |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26272897 |agency=BBC News |date=22 February 2014 |quote=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. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150728091406/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26272897 |archive-date=28 July 2015}}</ref> While many Baloch support the demand for autonomy, the majority are not interested in seceding from Pakistan.<ref>[https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/624446-37pc-baloch-favour-independence-uk-survey 37pc Baloch favour independence: UK survey"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215072843/https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/624446-37pc-baloch-favour-independence-uk-survey |date=15 February 2017 }}.&nbsp;''thenews.com.pk''. Retrieved&nbsp;2017-03-07.</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/Pakistan/283360-RAW-conspiring-against-CPEC-agreement-Sarfraz-Bug |title=RAW conspiring against CPEC agreement: Sarfraz Bugti |work=Dunya News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903212347/http://dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/Pakistan/283360-RAW-conspiring-against-CPEC-agreement-Sarfraz-Bug |archive-date=3 September 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-37771-RAW-behind-Mastung-killings-Sarfraz-Bugti |title=RAW behind Mastung killings: Sarfraz Bugti |date=31 May 2015 |work=The News International, Pakistan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602034759/http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-37771-RAW-behind-Mastung-killings-Sarfraz-Bugti |archive-date=2 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pakistantimes.com/2015/06/08/raw-more-active-after-cpec-agreement-sarfraz-bugti-371022.html |title=RAW more active after CPEC agreement: Sarfraz Bugti |work=Pakistan Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150805023710/http://www.pakistantimes.com/2015/06/08/raw-more-active-after-cpec-agreement-sarfraz-bugti-371022.html |archive-date=5 August 2015}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1489531/world |title=Arab legacy lingers as Pakistan's Gwadar grows from tiny fishing town into port city |date=29 April 2019 |website=Arab News}}</ref>