Paper short abstract:

This study explores what reasons have been applied by the central Pakistani government to justify the constant use of violence in Balochistan province to the citizens and how this rationale has been evolving with time.

Paper long abstract:

Since the creation of Pakistan in 1947 the use of violence in Balochistan province has been the most persistent technique used by the state to check insurgent activity. This activity has been almost constant, with the most significant outbreaks in 1947-1948, 1958-1959, 1963-1969, 1973-1977; after 2005 the conflict once again began to gain momentum, and up to now the situation has only been deteriorating. Under these circumstances militarisation of the province came to be regarded as an unavoidable necessity. Even when the government introduced other methods - aimed at economic development and social reconstruction - military operations and physical offence have never been outlawed. Surprisingly, this state of events has usually been accepted by the non-Balochi part of Pakistani society. What is more, there have been direct popular calls for the government to undertake drastic actions in order to restore law and order in the province. Split along religious, ethnic, linguistic and economic lines, Pakistani Balochistan became a long-standing proving ground for both war techniques and ideological constructions essential for building up the required common perception of military operations.

The purpose of this study is to explore what reasons have been applied by the central government to justify the use of violence in Balochistan to the Pakistani citizens, how this rationale has been evolving with time and why the created ideological pattern became commonly acceptable.