At the dawn of the 1900s, Balochistan was a region of stark contrasts under British rule, divided into British Baluchistan and the Princely States of Kalat, Makran, Lasbela, and Kharan. The British-controlled areas were significantly underdeveloped compared to other parts of colonial India, with extremely low literacy rates and a predominantly rural population. Unlike other provinces of British India, British Baluchistan was under the rule of a Chief Commissioner and lacked the same political status as its counterparts.
The 1930s marked a turning point in Balochistan’s political history as people began to organize themselves politically. In 1932, Yusuf Ali Khan Magsi held the First All-India Baloch Conference in Jacobabad, bringing together Baloch leaders from across the region. Magsi’s party, the Anjuman-i-Ittehad-i-Baluchen, was one of the first organized political groups in Balochistan, later succeeded by the Kalat State National Party, which cooperated with the Indian National Congress branch in Baluchistan, known as the Anjuman-i-Watan.
In 1939, the political story of Balochistan saw another significant development when Qazi Muhammad Isa established the Balochistan Muslim League in Pishin. This move was part of the broader All-India Muslim League’s efforts to gain support across the subcontinent. The formation of the Balochistan Muslim League marked the beginning of a complex relationship between Baloch nationalism and the wider Muslim political movement in India.
The early 1940s saw increased activity from the Muslim League in Balochistan. A pivotal moment came in 1943 when Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the leader of the All-India Muslim League, visited Balochistan, drawing a crowd estimated at 50,000 people. However, the enthusiasm generated by Jinnah’s visit was short-lived, and it wasn’t until after the Simla Conference in 1945 that the Muslim League intensified its activism in the region.
The period from 1945 to 1947 was marked by intense political activity in Balochistan. The Muslim League held several rallies and worked to counter the propaganda of the Indian National Congress. Provincial opinion, especially in the townships, largely favored the Pakistan Movement. A significant event occurred on January 29, 1947, when a call for a strike in response to the arrest of Muslim League leaders received an “almost complete” response in Quetta, demonstrating the growing support for the Pakistan Movement in Balochistan.
As the partition of India approached, the question of Balochistan’s accession became increasingly urgent. The province’s Shahi Jirga and the non-official members of the Quetta Municipality reportedly agreed to join Pakistan unanimously on June 29, 1947. However, this decision has been contested by some historians who argue that the Shahi Jirga was stripped of its members from the Kalat State prior to the vote.
The position of the Kalat State, led by Khan Ahmad Yar Khan, was particularly complex. The Khan both supported the establishment of Pakistan and aspired for independence. He argued that Kalat had possessed a sovereign status rather than being an Indian state, and thus was not bound by the same rules of accession as other princely states. This led to a series of negotiations between Kalat and Pakistan in the latter half of 1947.
The situation came to a head in March 1948 when Kalat’s feudatory states – Las Bela and Kharan – and its district of Makran requested to accede to Pakistan separately. The Pakistani government, recognizing their claims of independence from Kalat, allowed them to accede on March 17, 1948. This move left Kalat geographically landlocked with no sea access. The pressure on the Khan of Kalat intensified, culminating in his decision to sign the Instrument of Accession to Pakistan on March 27, 1948. The path to independence for Balochistan was far from straightforward. From the early stirrings of political organization in the 1930s to the complex negotiations of the late 1940s, the region’s journey was marked by competing interests, shifting alliances, and the overarching context of the partition of India. While Balochistan ultimately became part of Pakistan, the events of this period laid the groundwork for future tensions and aspirations for autonomy. The complex interplay of tribal politics, colonial legacy, and national movements during this time continues to shape Balochistan’s relationship with the Pakistani state to this day.
Articulated by Faryal Baloch.
