There are or have been a number of separatist movements in Pakistan based on ethnic and regional nationalism, that have agitated for independence, and sometimes fighting the Pakistan state at various times during its history.[1] As in many other countries, tension arises from the perception of minority/less powerful ethnic groups that other ethnicities dominate the politics and economics of the country to the detriment of those with less power and money.[2] The government of Pakistan has attempted to subdue these separatist movements.[3]
Influence and success of separatist groups has varied from total, in the case of Bangladesh, which separated from Pakistan in 1971.[4] The separatist movement in Balochistan is engaged in a low-intensity insurgency against the Government of Pakistan. As of 2023, it is the most active secessionist movement in the region. [5][6][7]
In 2009, the Pew Research Center conducted a Global Attitudes survey across Pakistan, in which it questioned respondents whether they viewed their primary identity as Pakistani or that of their ethnicity. The sample covered an area representing 90% of the adult population, and included all major ethnic groups.[8] According to the findings, 96% of Punjabis identified themselves first as Pakistanis, as did 92% each of Pashtuns and Muhajirs; 55% of Sindhis chose a Pakistani identification, while 28% chose Sindhi and 16% selected "both equally"; whereas 58% of Baloch respondents chose Pakistani and 32% selected their ethnicity and 10% chose both equally.[8] Collectively, 89% of the sample opted their primary identity as Pakistani.[8]
^Cite error: The named reference Express Tribune was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Country Profile: Pakistan" (PDF). Library of Congress. 2005. p. 26. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 July 2005. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
^Arch Puddington, Aili Piano, Jennifer Dunham, Bret Nelson, Tyler Roylance (2014). Freedom in the World 2014: The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 805. ISBN 9781442247079.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Cite error: The named reference MQM was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Over 300 anti-state militants surrender arms in Balochistan". Dawn News. 9 December 2017. The largest province of the country by area, Balochistan is home to a low-level insurgency by ethnic Baloch separatists.
^Cite error: The named reference gan was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Future of Pakistan". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
^ abc"Pakistani Public Opinion – Chapter 2. Religion, Law, and Society". Pew Research Center. 13 August 2009. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
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