General information
Part of Conflict: Pakistan: Balochistan
Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 2005-08-31
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: Baloch Ittehad (Baloch Unity) was formed by representatives of the four main Baloch nationalist parties at a meeting at Dera Bugti on 14 September 2003 with an outspoken agenda to protect Baloch interests. The coalition was in particular concerned with the distribution of the income following increased exploitation of the province’s energy and mineral resources and that Baloch contractors and workers’ rarely are use in the ongoing government-sponsored projects to develop Balochistan. The different political and tribal leaders that participate in the Ittehad movement have different ultimate goals and willingness to use force but they agreed on the issue of protecting the rights of the Baloch people.
Some of the eventual leadership of Baloch Ittehad declared in the lead-up to the formation of the organization a demand for political autonomy or independence, but this was not adapted as official Ittehad policy. In early 2005, the leader of Baloch Ittehad, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti threatened the use of armed force if the government attacked the tribes. In March, government forces fought against Bugti and his tribesmen for a few days even though Baloch Ittehad maintained that it was only concerned with the distribution of benefits from natural resources.
Following further military installations in the area, an interview with Sanaullah Baloch (Baloch Ittehad member and holder of Pakistani parliament seat for the Balochistan National Party) on 31 August 2005 stated that “Baloch in the 21st Century demand our just constitutional and legal rights. For instance, we say that if oil and gas is extracted from the land of our ancestors then we have the right over the revenue it generates, If God has gifted a coastline to Balochistan then the control of Baloch over it should be recognized. We must have the right to plan our culture, language, education and for our identity and to spend money on these plans. Then we should be allowed to rely on ourselves as far as leadership, politics and planning are concerned.” He further clarified that this was the unifying common objective for all members of the Baloch Ittehad. Later, following the intense fighting in December 2005, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, declared that the group was in the lead of the Baloch national resistance and declared that “it is war now” to a visiting reporter.
Date of first use of armed force: 2005-08-31
Comment on date of first use of armed force: On 31 August 2005, the same day as Sanaullah Baloch stated that Baloch Ittehad wanted expanded autonomy or independence, a bomb exploded outside the Frontier Corps headquarters in Mastung, south of Quetta. The blast killed one person but it is unclear whether it was Baloch Ittehad who was responsible for the attack. Instead, a period of calm followed until President Musharraf visited the town of Kohlu in Balochistan on 14 December 2005. During his visit, unknown attackers fired eight rockets against him and the following day a military surveillance helicopter came under fire in Dera Bugti district, wounding two officers.
First Battle Related Death: 2006-01-12
Comment on First Battle Related Death: On 12 January 2006, suspected separatists in the troubled southwestern province of Baluchistan fired rockets into an army camp east of the provincial capital, Quetta, killing three soldiers,
Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 2006-07-05
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: On 5 July 2006 Pakistani security forces, backed by helicopter gunships, killed at least 25 rebels in the southwest province of Baluchistan during an attack on a militant stronghold. Paramilitary forces attacked the militants in the Dera Bugti district, where rebel tribesmen have been fighting for greater autonomy and more control over the poor but resource-rich province's mineral resources -- notably its gas reserves.
Conflict issues
Conflict Goal Issues: Baloch Ittehad ((Baloch Unity) was an armed group in Balochistan formed on 14 september 2003 in Pakistan’s region from {Balochistan](/#/conflict/325). In 2003, it demanded more rights for the Baloch people and an increase share of the revenues from the resource-rich region.
Over time, the demands of Baloch Ittehad largely remained the same. In addition to its demands for political and cultural rights, the group added demands for more autonomy within a federal system. Unlike later Baloch groups, Baloch Ittehad never demanded independence.
Consistently throughout its existence, the main issues of the group concerned the revenues from natural resources, increased autonomy and the fullfillement of basic needs of the Baloch population. Occasionally, more specific demands were made regarding cultural or linguistic rights.
Conflict Dynamics Issues: The project has found a single statement from this group concerning conflict resolution issues”. Once the conflict became active in 2006, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, claimed in an interview that Baloch people faced “state terrorism at the hands of the Pakistani Military”.
Conflict Resolution Issues: The project has not been able to find any statements from this group concerning conflict resolution issues”.
Type of conflict issues: *Conflict Goal Issues: *
Autonomy, Basic needs, Civil rights, Cultural rights, Economic reforms, Education system: culture, Federalism, Language rights, Revenues from natural resources
*Conflict Dynamics Issues: * Collective targeting: ethnic
*Conflict Resolution Issues: *
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
2005
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Pakistan): n/a
Side B (Baloch Ittehad): n/a
2006
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 157 |
| Best | 157 |
| Low | 157 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Pakistan): n/a
Side B (Baloch Ittehad): n/a
Dyad Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
2005 Dyad Archive
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiations: There were no negotiations between the warring parties, but the parliament sub-committee headed by Mushahid Hussain Sayed on the Balochistan problem presented its recommendations in the beginning of the year. As part of its investigation, the subcommittee had held discussions with the Baloch Ittehad leadership, but the group had by then not yet declared as its objective a change in the political administration of Balochistan.
In March, the former Pakistani prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and the Baloch Ittehad leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti met and reportedly agreed on how to resolve the crisis. The agreement was not officially adopted by the Pakistan government and there were no more negotiations after fighting had begun between these two parties.
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
2006 Dyad Archive
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: When violence escalated in Balochistan in 2004, the government restricted access for media to the province and reporting became sparse. The estimates provided should be considered conservative.
Comment on Active: In an interview in January, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, the leader of Baloch Ittehad remarked that the recent fighting was just the beginning of the conflict, "it is war now."
Negotiations: NO
Victory: YES
Victorious side: A
Comment on Victory: Following attacks on the leadership of Baloch Ittehad in late August 2006 which culminated with the killing of the leader Nawab Akbar Bugti, the alliance suffered a serious setback. Even though Buktis death was followed by widespread protesta across Balochistan, the coalition split into tribal factions. Even though there were claims that the leadership of the movement would pass to Sardar Khari Baksh Marri, he quickly conceded that the violent struggle would continue by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
Among the Bugti tribesmen, some declared an end to the nawabi tribal system and claimed his activities were criminal, while others wanted to continue armed opposition to the government. In particular Nawabzada Bramdagh Bugti, grandson of Nawab Akbar, remained intent on militancy. Bramdagh maintained control of a faction of the Nawab Akbars political party JWP (Jamhoori Watan Party) while supporting BLA. He was eventually also believed to be connected to the group BRA (Balochistan Republican Army) which formed in 2007.
Comment on Victorious Side: The government offensive destroyed the leadership of Baloch Ittehad which broke up into tribal factions - some of these joined existing or newly forme rebel organizations while others renounced armed violence. Thus, the dyad ended with a victory for the government.
Comment on Total Battle Related Deaths: The government offensive destroyed the leadership of Baloch Ittehad which broke up into tribal factions - some of these joined existing or newly forme rebel organizations while others renounced armed violence. Thus, the dyad ended with a victory for the government.
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Other
Date of termination: 2006-09-15
Comment on Termination: Following the death of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti in August 2006, there was uncertainty over the future of the organisation. The majority of the forces of Baloch Ittehad had been controlled by the Bugti tribe, for which the grandson of Akbar Khan, Brahamdagh Bugti, became the new leader.
At around the same time, there were reports that the 82-year old head of the Marri tribe, Khari Baksh Marri, became the senior leader for Baloch Ittehad. Marri stated that the fight against the government would continue, but that his age and health prevented him from leading the struggle. He further announced that it was the BLA (Balochistan Liberation Army) that would defeat the Pakistani army, suggesting that the troops of Baloch Ittehad had joined forces with the BLA.
Comment on Termination Date: The interview where Sardar Khari Baksh Marri announced that Baloch Ittehad no longer was a fighting force but a part of BLA was published on the 15 September 2006. The final battle related event coded for the group was the clash with the government on 26 August when the former leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti was killed.
