Balochistan as a Factor in Pak-US Relations Post-9/11

Balochistan as a Factor in Pak-US Relations Post-9/11 by Mariam Asif and Munawar Hussain

Abstract

The contemporary Baloch insurgency has both political and security implications for the integrity of Pakistan as a state. Many of the foreign powers have shifted their focus to this province because of the war on terror in which the strategic and economic importance of Balochistan has increased. One such power is the US. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Balochistan has become more important for the US due to the region being located close to the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, the two most vital places for the US military in the Persian Gulf. The long border which Balochistan shares with Afghanistan has strategic significance for the NATO and US forces not only because of the presence of the terrorist’s networks but also as a means of access to the supply routes for the foreign states. The presence of Taliban in the region was also of extreme importance to the US. The paper presents an analysis of the importance which Balochistan carries for the US and its implications on Pak-US relations in the post 9/11 era.