For decades, Balochistan’s plight has been blamed on Islamabad’s neglect. But dig deeper, and you’ll find the real hunger games unfolding not in the federal capital, but in Quetta’s power corridors.Whether it is a political rally or a television debate, the chant is consistent-Islamabad deprives Balochistan of its share. Is this the whole story? The harsh reality is that as billions of dollars pour into the province each year the lives of the common Baloch has continued to languish in poverty. The cause does not lie in the corridors of Islamabad alone, but also in Quetta and palaces of Sardars and Nawabs who have enjoyed monopoly of power generation after generation.
A History of Hereditary Power
Whether it is Nawab Akbar Bugti or Khair Bakhsh Marri, the ruling circles in Balochistan has been in the hands of dynastic elites. Akbar Bugti was elected the Sardar of his tribe in 1946 and held the position till his demise. In his lifetime, he became a chief minister twice, once a governor, and also earned millions of money every month. Yet Dera Bugti, his stronghold, is one of the most backward regions of Pakistan with only 26 percent literate persons, a nonfunctional hospital, no vocational centers.
The son of Bugti received his education at Aitchison and Oxford, whereas, the Baloch child in his tribe never saw a text-book. It is not an isolated case, The Mari family, the Mengals of BNP, Jam family of Lasbela, Sardars of Raisani to Domki control politics and resources. In the meantime their districts are leading the list in poverty, maternal mortality, and unemployment.
The Budget Illusion
Last year, the province of Balochistan had a budget amounting to Rs 956 billion. Of these, Rs 831 billion was shared by the federal government, in terms of the NFC award, gas and oil royalties, development allocations. But what happens to pearl of this money? Look at power circles in Quetta or elite neighborhoods of Islamabad where such elites have gigantic mansions. Or the posh vehicles their children are flaunting in Karachi. Although they still control contracts, postings and development schemes, they still lack schools and hospitals in their districts. The much-shouted slogan of Punjab eating our share falls flat on its face.
The reality of the matter is that financial power of the province is left to be vested to the provincial government- and by extension the tribal elite. But who audits this spending?
The Human Cost
Behind such figures is a human tragedy In Dera Bugti and Awaran, the literacy levels are pitiful, maternal mortality is among the highest in the country and child malnutrition is a rampant problem. When societal resources and solutions to health challenges are not provided, militancy becomes the norm. A Baloch who lacks the opportunity is an easy prey to the insurgent groups.
Selective Outrage and Urban Elites
The voices such as Dr. Mahrang Baloch and Baloch Yakjehti Committee fill up most of the media with the tones of state oppression and missing persons. That is a valid concern, however why is there no concern voiced of tribal exploitation? Why no demand to audit provincial budgets? Most of these activists are actually members of the privileged classes portraying themselves as grassroots activists, but what they fail to acknowledge is that the power has already been monopolized by the hereditary elites as well as the dissent. Who can speak of the Baloch child that has no school or the mother who died during childbirth because of no healthcare?
The Counter-Narrative
The exact opposite of the standard story of federal neglect is that Balochistan had fallen into the hands of its own elite. This does not mean to absolve Islamabad, but rather, require accountability at the critical point. Increase in fund is not the only solution to Balochistan There must be transparency in expenditure and ending the monopoly of Sardars and Nawabs.
The Way Forward
What Balochistan requires? Not just bigger budgets, but measurable outcomes: functioning schools, hospitals, and roads. Development should be judged by results, not allocations. The debate must shift from victimhood to responsibility and from old slogans to structural reform.True empowerment means breaking elite capture and giving real power to local communities, not preserving the feudal stranglehold under the banner of autonomy. It’s time to ask the uncomfortable questions: Why do Sardars demand rights yet deny them to their own people? Why do activists shield the local elite from scrutiny? And why do we confuse narratives with solutions? Until accountability becomes the core of the Balochistan debate, the cycle of deprivation and dissent will never end.
