- By: Raees Razaque Unar
- MA IR (University of Balochistan, Quetta).
An opinion by Assim Sajjad Akhtar published in Dawn on 17th July 2026 highlights the centre-periphery divide in Pakistan. The author presents solid arguments; he describes Balochistan, among other units, as a peripheral part of Pakistan. The periphery, according to Wallerstein’s World System Theory, heavily depends on the Core for resource distribution and industrial growth; the core, in turn, exploits the periphery, which has no right to demand resources. According to the writer, Balochistan is governed by a policy of a few carrots and many sticks. He mentions some natural resources discovered in Balochistan: natural gas, minerals, and maritime resources that benefit the country, but the province itself is deprived of these.
Balochistan possesses abundant reserves of natural resources. Natural gas was discovered in 1952 in Sui, a region in Dera Bugti. According to the Energy Department Balochistan, “The province holds 19 trillion cubic feet (TcF) of Natural gas reserves.” The province supplies natural gas across the country from Sui and other fields, like Pir Koh and Uch; unfortunately, its major cities do not enjoy this particular facility. What to talk about other towns, Sui itself lacks the gas supply. This conforms to the concept of the periphery and supports the argument that Balochistan is a periphery.
According to the Balochistan Board of Investment and Trade, ” The province hosts some of the world’s largest untapped copper and gold deposits. Reko Diq and Saindak are two of them, located in Balochistan. Reko Diq is not operational yet; Saindak, with Chinese cooperation, continues to contribute to Pakistan’s mineral exports. Balochistan, despite producing minerals, is a poor and deprived province of Pakistan. Saindak contributed $3.4 billion in a decade, according to China Metallurgical Group Cooperation; yet there is no development in Balochistan. Poverty, unemployment, and security issues persist in the province. Moreover, the Mines and Minerals Act reduced provincial power over decision-making over strategic Minerals. This reveals the Centre’s neo-colonial approach toward Balochistan.
Balochistan is blessed with an ample quantity of maritime resources. The province possesses roughly seventy-six percent of the country’s total coastline. As for maritime exports are concerned, the province has the potential of $850 million, which highlights its significant role in the country’s GDP. However, the centre’s neo-colonial approach deprives the local people of fishing, pushing millions of families to starvation. There is a fear among the local population of foreign licensing. The centre’s colonialistic policies on CPEC harm local communities too. For instance, the 19 km East Bay Expressway blocks traditional boat landing sites for locals. This proves the centre follows the neo-colonialist approach and treats Balochistan as its periphery.
A holistic framework is required to address these issues. The centre should abandon the policy of the Core and the periphery; Balochistan needs equal standing, and its people deserve equal rights. Provincial autonomy should be awarded as given under the 18th Amendment; exploitative legislation, like the Mines and Minerals Act, should be reversed. Balochistan, which supplies the natural gas across the country, should be allowed to reap the fruits of its geography. Fair royalty payments will surely ease the economic woes of the province and help eliminate the crestfallen situation among the unemployed youth. Local people must not be denied independent fishing rights. History has repeatedly shown that no nation can achieve lasting peace and prosperity while neglecting the legitimate aspirations of one of its own federating units.
To sum up, relations between the centre and Balochistan have been based on the concept of the core and the periphery. The core formulates policies, extracts economic benefits, and leaves Balochistan neglected. Balochistan provides the country with numerous benefits; fifty-five percent of natural gas is supplied from Balochistan, and the province contributes to maritime exports too. Despite playing such a positive role, the province is not given importance while making policies. The centre should change its colonial mindset and give Balochistan equal rights, providing it with a fair share of royalty payments and ensuring development in the province.