A fascinating account of British reporter Willem Marx's travels in Balochistan, a largely forgotten province of Pakistan, along with some spectacular images captured by French photojournalist Marc Wattrelot.

Three thousand years ago, a group of Indo-Iranic tribes (called Balaschik at that time) settled in the northwestern Caspian region of Balashagan. Circumstances forced them to disperse and migrate towards south and eastern parts of Iranian plateau. In medieval times, they finally settled in present Balochistan where they became known as the Baloch. During their long and tortuous journey from Balashagan to Balochistan, the Baloch faced persecutions, deportations, and genocidal acts of various Persian, Arab and other regional powers. During 17th century, after dominating Balochistan culturally and politically, the Baloch carved out a nation state (the Khanate of Kalat). In 1839, the British occupied Balochistan and subsequently it was divided into various parts. In the wake of the British withdrawal from India in 1947, Balochistan regained its sovereignty but soon Pakistan occupied it in 1948. The historical account of the Baloch is the story of a pastoralist nomadic people from ancient times to mid-twentieth century. The author outlines the origin of the Baloch state and its variegated history of survival against powerful neighbors such as the Persians, the British and finally, Pakistan. This fascinating research work discovers the background of the long drawn-out conflict between the Baloch and Pakistan and Iranian states.

Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province, is a complex region fraught with conflict and hostility, ranging from an enduring insurgency and sectarian violence to terror strikes and appalling human rights violations. In his third book on Pakistan, Tilak Devasher analyses why Balochistan is such a festering sore for Pakistan. With his keen understanding of the region, he traces the roots of the deep-seated Baloch alienation to the princely state of Kalat's forced accession to Pakistan in 1948. This alienation has been further solidified by the state's rampant exploitation of the province, leading to massive socio-economic deprivation. Is the Baloch insurgency threatening the integrity of Pakistan? What is the likelihood of an independent Balochistan? Has the situation in the province become irretrievable for Pakistan? Is there a meeting ground between the mutually opposing narratives of the Pakistan state and the Baloch nationalists?Devasher examines these issues with a clear and objective mind backed by meticulous research that goes to the heart of the Baloch conundrum.

Remotely Colonial is a monograph that examines tribalism and nationalism as historical processes in Kalat, which is today incorporated in the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Kalat was 'remotely colonial' in two ways. It was located on the far reaches of the Indian Empire, and British interests were geostrategic rather than economic. The British designated Kalat a native state, but proceeded to marginalize the ruler in favour of sardars (chiefs) and tribal governance through jirga (tribal court) deliberations. This led to tensions between local officials dealing with events on the ground and the central government, which was determined that the facade of Kalat State be maintained. Colonial subject status - tribal, client or British Protected Subject - determined rights and obligations. The fragmentation of subjecthood produced a situation in which Kalat State became a polity with situationally defined subjects. Although Kalat State ceased to exist in 1955, its colonial structures persist today. Sardars and jirgas have become signifiers of entrenched tradition, a tribal 'other' of the national state. This is a convenient image for the Pakistani government, enabling blame for present conditions to be pinned on the tribal sector, deflecting attention away from the state's failure to provide basic services.

Balochistan is a tinderbox which has hitherto remained more or less unexposed to geo-political pressures -- either because of Indian docility or because of Pakistan's deft foreign policy or because it was not useful to the West. However, it holds the potential to emerge as a new diplomatic flashpoint involving India, Pakistan and a range of external stakeholders, including Afghanistan, Iran, USA, China, and Russia. The crisis in Balochistan is escalating into a full-fledge “Baloch War of Independence” in Pakistani-occupied Balochistan due to the oppressive policies of the Pakistani militaries dictatorship. The book covers the developments in post colonial Balochistan, its geopolitical significance, and the underlying grievances of the Baloch.

A time will come when children can play in the streets without the fear of being abducted, women in their homes can be sure that their husbands and sons will return, and young women will no longer feel afraid to go to their university or workplace. I hope that dawn will break one day on a free and peaceful land. Balochistan is an account of the trials and tragedies suffered by this region, which has been forcefully annexed to Pakistan against the will of its people. The area is of fundamental strategic and geopolitical importance not only to Islamabad and to the Chinese CPEC project, but also to the numerous players that act as avatars of the powers in the long-running 'Great Game'. What is woefully ignored is that the lives of the locals are under stake. The Baloch people have long been trying to draw international attention to what is happening to them and their homeland. However, the world has turned a blind eye to the ethnic and cultural genocide carried out so far. Starting from the history of Balochistan and the wrongs done to its people, along with detailed interviews with the lead actors in this struggle, acclaimed journalist Francesca Marino attempts to lend a voice to the Baloch people and speak for themselves about one of the most reprehensible and inexplicable silences of our times.