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This study examines the invaluable lessons Pakistan can derive from China's longstanding and highly successful poverty reduction efforts. China's remarkable achievements in poverty alleviation, characterized by political stability, rural development initiatives, and proactive economic policies, serve as a compelling model for nations such as Pakistan. This research primarily aims to unearth the root causes of poverty in Pakistan, analyze the unique challenges encountered by the government, and provide a historical context for Pakistan's poverty alleviation endeavors. It also sheds light on the specific case of Balochistan, a province in Pakistan known for its distinctive challenges in terms of poverty and development. As CPEC promises to revolutionize Pakistan's infrastructure, manufacturing, tourism, and agriculture sectors, the government has initiated various programs, deeply influenced by China's approach. These initiatives encompass housing projects for the underprivileged, interest-free local loans, job creation, institutional reforms, and scholarships for deserving students. The paper adopts a comprehensive approach, involving an extensive review of literature, including academic articles and governmental reports related to poverty reduction in both China and Pakistan, with a specific focus on Balochistan. Comparative analysis helps elucidate the varying strategies employed by these nations. Furthermore, interviews with development economists, government officials, and community leaders in Balochistan enrich the analysis. The main findings pertaining to Balochistan underscore its unique challenges in poverty alleviation, primarily linked to limited infrastructure, geographical isolation, and historical marginalization. However, Balochistan also exhibits immense potential for development, particularly through the strategic implementation of CPEC projects. The paper concludes by outlining a comprehensive roadmap for Pakistan's poverty eradication efforts, emphasizing the need to prioritize Balochistan through targeted interventions, infrastructure development, and inclusive growth strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines how an (ethno)nationalist movement developed and took shape in Balochistan in relation to a broader national question that ranges from seeking provincial autonomy within the federation of Pakistan to gaining independence and formation of a separate state of Balochistan. The paper also analyses the estranged relationship of Balochistan with the state of Pakistan against the background of the failure of the state in accommodating the Baloch national aspirations for economic, social and political rights, while adhering to the basic tenets of federalism. The Baloch, who sporadically engaged in armed conflicts with the state after the British left the Indian Subcontinent in 1947, were not merely the pawns of geopolitics. The conflict in Balochistan must also be seen in a greater context of nationalism as an effort of the Baloch elite to achieve more autonomy within the federal structure of Pakistan. The movement for more national autonomy under the slogan of nationalism may be understood as a tool to further consolidate the social, economic and political strengths of the traditional tribal structure of Balochistan, instead of a struggle for economic and political empowerment of the people of Balochistan. The genuine economic and political aspirations of the people were doubly constrained. On the one hand, the centuries old tribal-centric social structure impeded any social and political evolution in the province and, on the other hand, the limitations of the federal structure in Pakistan restrained Balochistan's integration into the mainstream national polity and economy. The paper argues that the emergence of nationalism is shaped, firstly by the historical legacy of the colonial era, the identity politics of Baloch nationalists, resource-grabbing and hegemonic approach of the Baloch Sardars or tribal chieftains, and secondly by Pakistan's failure in adhering to the principles of federalism. Extreme centralization or quasi federalism with its authoritarian nature has promoted regionalism and centrifugal tendencies. Balochistan being a periphery happened to be a fertile ground for the emergence and development of a nationalist movement against the attitudes of the state of Pakistan, which led towards a conflict situation between Balochistan and the state of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People employ both violent and non-violent means to achieve political ends. Some suggest that grievances -- actual or perceived, motivate people to adopt violence, while others argue that greed and opportunity structures stimulate violence - motivation is indeterminate. A plethora of the existing work explains motivations, operational methods, targets etc. of political violence and insurgencies; however, academic inquiry into intra-movement dynamics and its effects on achievement of their strategic objectives is scant. This paper employs Movement Structure Theory to unravel intramovement behavior of militant groups by disaggregating ethnic militancy in Balochistan, to answer some of the basic questions of what constitutes success / failure for non-state violence and which factors effect variation in polarity of Baloch movement. Better understanding of intra-movement dynamics would facilitate policymakers in estimating probability of successes/failures of ethnic movements and developing focused strategies to efficiently mitigate ethnic violence. Paper concludes that presence of multiple groups in a movement undermines its ability to achieve strategic objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the status of girls' education in the schools of rural Balochistan in Pakistan, and examines the dimensions of access, enrolment and retention. In order to explore the complexities of this governmental problem, we will propose the concept of postcolonial Islamic governmentality. Drawing on Foucault's work on the arts of government, with Dean's (2010) writing on illiberal governmentalities, and the work of Salehin (2016) on pious governmentality in Bangladesh, we will suggest that postcolonial Islamic governmentalities emerge at the intersections of the legacies of British colonialism in Pakistan's post-colonial governance; the influence of processes of neo-liberal globalisation in the policies of developing countries by donor countries, development NGOs and the SDGs; and the forms of Islamic governance embedded in the juridical, cultural, social and gender relations of Pakistan as a postcolonial, Islamic state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A water crisis is an alarming issue in Balochistan. The persistent crises lead towards catastrophic future condition. Water is essential for human livelihood and other types of economic developments. A province that is situated in an arid zone where due to low rainfall is scarcity of water. The qualitative research methodology will be applied on this research paper. The data collection will take place through secondary sources i.e. books, magazines, journals and internet websites etc. The major causes for water crisis are shortage of rainfall, climate change, misuse of water, over-urbanization, global warming, non-availability of sufficient dams in Balochistan. There are severe implications and repercussions of water crisis in Balochistan. It leads towards agricultural crisis, loss of biodiversity, migration, drought condition, poor quality life and low income etc. There is a need to adopt a proper strategy that how to overcome the water crisis in Balochistan. The construction of dams, the public awareness, the re-cycling of water, aqueducts, desalination of water, improvement in sewerage system, rain water harvesting can enable us to overcome the water crisis. The sustainable water management approach will be applied to treat reuse and to control the wastage of water. The research will be conducted by keeping in view the socio-economic perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Political literacy is sited at the periphery of political empowerment designs the real driver for good governance. This paper assesses the prevalence of political literacy based on political knowledge-attitude-practice among the female students in the University of Balochistan. We used KAP (knowledge-attitude-practice) analysis method to create the primary data. The qualitative factors analysis allow us to deduct the decline in the strength of political literacy when it moves from thought to action; sequenced as political knowledge factor found 79%, political attitude factor found 58%, and political practice factor found 34%.The paper suggests that political literacy higher in knowledge and least in practices warrants the ineffectiveness of legally granted political empowerment to women in Balochistan. The policy makers may utilize this study for the effective women’s political empowerment to achieve good governance vis-à-vis incurring economic development in and around Balochistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim and objectives of this research is to demonstrate an affiliation between quality education and socio-economic development of Balochistan province of Pakistan. Education is not only fundamental human right but also it gathers pivotal role to enhance the socio-economic development of a nation. Progress of a nation is tremendously associated with the quality education that is a tool of socio-economic development of a nation. Besides this, this paper indicates that those factors which are creating hurdles to abstaining the socio-economic development of Balochistan, which are education, human capital, infrastructures, and employment. The sample size of the respondents of 103 which was gathered through a close-ended questionnaire was designed on Likert scale from different parts of Balochistan province of Pakistan. (Regression analysis, correlation matrix, and frequency analysis) were used to analyze the collected data. Empirical evidence shows that education with socio economic development has got positive relationships. Thus, the findings provide the guidance that education plays a paramount role in order to improve the human capital, infrastructures, and employment which are proportionately related with socio economic development of Balochistan province of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is designed to study the expression of kinship ties in Pashtu proverbs. As an integral part of Pashtun folklore, a proverb is generally cited in a conversation to convey a meaningful remark. The frequent use of proverbs in everyday discussion is to express ‘veiled sentiments’ of multiple forms which are less likely to be stated in a straightforward manner. In the great body of anthropological works on the Pashtuns, kinship ties are always studied in the broader context of their social, cultural and political functions. The present study, however, neither approves nor goes against the supposed functions of kinship ties. Instead, the workwill look at the expression of such ties at the folklore level. It is argued that proverbs are primarily spoken to indicate the opposing nature and level of kinship ties. As affinal or blood relatives come into conflict, they do not go for physical violence directly. Alternatively, they choose proverbs as a battleground to resist and relegate rival counterparts. In order to complete the study, I have selected a number of Pashtu proverbs as units of analysis. Methodologically, this study is based on participant observation and semi-structured interviews as research tools. Through the use of these tools, I have made successful efforts to cover the all-encompassing features of proverbs. Among others, elderly men and women were especially targeted as they held a significant reservoir of proverbs. The field site was Tehsil Killa SaifUllah in the northern part of Balochistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quetta Valley is part of the Pishin Sub-basin is in the northern section of the Kirthar Belt and has Lower Jurassic to Holocene strata. It is an arid mountainous region with low mean annual precipitation of 150–200 mm between 1999 and 2019. The population of Quetta City has increased from 0.26 million in 1975 to 3.0 million in 2016, causing an increased burden on groundwater now it is depleting at an alarming rate of 1.5–5.0 m/year in certain parts of the city. The Quetta Valley comprises of two types of aquifers: the alluvial aquifer and the limestone aquifer. The issue of unmanaged groundwater depletion is present in many areas of Quetta City. The alluvial and limestone aquifers in the Quetta Valley were depleted after two decades of heavy use from hundreds of illegal tube wells and agricultural wells. With the increasing population and low precipitation of the Quetta Valley, this review paper examines many variables that contribute groundwater depletion. According to earlier research, uncontrolled pumping of groundwater resources has deteriorated water quality and reduced its quantity in the Quetta Valley. The current study predicted an overall reduction in the static water table in the limestone aquifer between 1.0 to 2.5 m/year over the water years 1987 to 2020. In contrast, it was estimated to be 1.5 to 5.0 m/year in the alluvial aquifer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will present a critical review of the Baloch and Balochistan showing that how the Baloch have evolved to become a nation, and Balochistan from being a hinterland in Iranian plateau to a province of Pakistani federation. The paper will discuss the origin of the Baloch and examine the various theories about the origin of the Baloch nation and argue that neither the primordialist nor the modernist theories of nationhood can explain the Baloch nation. In fact, it is the ethno-symbolists that offer the best understanding of the Baloch as a nation. The Baloch nation is heterogeneous in its composition, being an admixture of various ethnic, racial, and linguistic groups over a long period of time. Baloch nationalism, however, is best understandable via the modernist theories of nationalism. The paper will contend that the Baloch nation is neither ancient nor modern because it emerged as a nation before the era of enlightenment and the French revolution. The paper will elaborate the modern Baloch nation, the birth of 'Baloch Confederacy' in its historical perspective, from the arrival of the British in 1839 to the fall of the State of Kalat into the Pakistani federation in 1948. The paper will finally provide a brief but robust analysis on the emergence, evolution and dynamics of contemporary Baloch nationalism vis-à-vis the federation of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prime purpose of this research is to analyze the level of adoption, usage and the challenges of ICT/social media on students1 perspective in the higher educational institutions of Balochistan. To collect required data from the population a survey method was adopted. The participants consisted open the undergraduate and graduate students of the top 6 higher educational institutions of Balochistan. Data was collected with the help of close ended questionnaire. A convenient sampling technique was used to select the sample from the population of 30,000 students. The sample size consisted of 70 students from each university. The results found out that respondents (M = 3.71 and SD = 1.153) using ICT for searching reading materials. Furthermore, the respondents (M = 3.67and SD=1.142) use ICT for being in touch with their instructors. Several challenges also highlighted in the current study such as; leakage of users1 privacy (M = 3.76 and SD= 1.079) and (M = 3.71 and SD = .950) electricity failure. The study is only limited to the top six public sectors higher educational institutions of Balochistan. The paper makes some recommendations, which, if acted upon by government of Balochistan as well as Pakistan, would be helpful for bringing improvement in the usage of ICT/social media in the higher educational institutions of Balochistan as well Pakistan. This paper is, therefore, valuable because it gives a clear picture of the situation on the ground, and suggests ways of how the problems faced could be solved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with certain aspects of the complex phenomenon of Balochi identity in their traditional habitat, including the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchistan, the Pakistani province of Balochistan, as well as the areas of Afghanistan where the Baloches live compactly. Considering quite different socio-political and cultural situations in the mentioned environments, it is argued that the identity perceptions among the Baloches themselves and among the others towards the Baloches (Persian-speaking Shi'a population in Iranian province, as well as mostly Sunni diverse ethnic groups in the Pakistani province and in Afghanistan) are not fixed ideas bound by ethnicity and/or religion, but, rather, flexible constructs dependent particularly upon the peripeteia of the state policies. The multiple aspects of the Balochi identity could constantly be negotiated, as well as manipulated by engaged parties. The main argument of this paper rests upon the speculation that the already existing and bona fide aspects of Balochi identity, such as ethnicity and religion, could be paralleled into the aggregate of ethno-religiousness depending on the socio-political and cultural landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few years, Pakistani cities have undergone an extensive growth in infrastructure and car ownership. This has led to an increase in air emission sources and subsequent degradation in air quality. The Pakistani Government has taken some initiatives to minimise the impact of air pollution. However, much more needs to be done to properly assess the adverse impact of degrading air quality on the population and develop emission control strategies accordingly. This paper provides a snapshot of air pollutants such as Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) and CO in winter months in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province in western central Pakistan. The results suggest that nearly all the compounds of interest show diurnal variation, although the magnitude of the diurnal cycle differs on different days for different prevailing wind directions. The highest pollution levels occur during the morning rush hour and afternoon rush hour period and suggest that the monitoring site is impacted by anthropogenic emission sources (i.e. heavy traffic flow). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan is one the most important country in the developing world, but it has been volatile for various reasons, such as inconsistent democracy, internal conflicts and instability, deprivation of the masses, poor governance, corruption, and lack of accountability. A lot of efforts are being done and a great number of reforms, structural changes have been introduced on different institutional and administrative level to bring the country on the track to progress and prosperity, but so far none worked as desired. However, it is, indeed, a positive sign that the government has shown considerable flexibility in changing its traditional role of having a monopoly over every sector by engaging civil society, private organization, and encouraging community participation in different areas to deepen the democracy. It will certainly help in bringing improvement in the performance, efficiency, and responsiveness of different government departments so that the public could be better facilitated. This paper proposes the Devolution Plan - 2001 as a mean of deepening democracy in Pakistan, and explains the some of the salient features of the plan. Further, it presents an analysis of the major issues and challenges of the plan, and its impact on Balochistan particularly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper brings to light the customary court of dareemat and explores its structure and practice among Pashtuns in the Zhob District of Balochistan. Existing literature on Pashtun society has mainly focused on the jirgah as the sole traditional institution of settling conflicts and disputes. The institution/court of dareemat primarily deals with resolution of disputes and conflicts pertaining to claims over property, land, accusations, and allegations. It consists of dareeman (arbitrators), disputants, eyewitnesses, and observers. Dareemat can be initiated through mutual consent of the disputants or arbitrators, depending on the intensity of the conflict or dispute. Individual males, having reputation for integrity, eloquence, expertise, and experience of arbitration (dareemat), are trusted with the task of being jury in the court of dareemat. It exists parallel to statutory courts of civil disputes in Zhob. The post-colonial state of Pakistan somehow has recognized the role of customary laws and courts in the sphere of civil disputes in predominantly Pashtun areas in tribal regions of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. By applying a legal pluralism lens to study the practice and settlement of civil disputes by using the customary dareemat court, Pashtuns in Zhob District prefer to settle their disputes outside formal courts, in the dareemat as a first recourse to justice. The findings of the article are based on 10 months anthropological fieldwork substantiated by dareemat archives in the form of affidavits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the decolonial turn among sociologists, we have yet to engage a vast amount of thought produced by anti-colonial movements. The circumvention of much of this thought indexes overly restrictive understandings of what constitutes social theory, and I diagnose three ways in which this plays out. Anti-colonial movement texts provide striking demonstrations of this limitation, and of what is lost as a result. Through a close study of a banned 1970s pamphlet from Pakistan, I show that critically deepening the decolonial project through an engagement with movement texts raises ethical questions about the academy's relationship to political struggle and demands new methodologies of archival retrieval that recognise the scattered, fragmented condition of texts subject to colonial violence. If addressed, southern movement texts reveal counter-infrastructures of knowledge production replete with counter-political vocabularies that challenge homogenising academic definitions of the Global South and enrich our theories of decolonial praxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to critically examine the significance of Balochistan as a geopolitical and geographical reserve that attracts attention from around the world. The largest province in Pakistan, with a total size of 350,000 square kilometers and a population of barely 0.7 million, is Balochistan. Between 24°32'N and 60°70'E is the province. The length of the coast is roughly 770 kilometers. The province's eastern, central, and northern regions are home to high mountains, some of which rise above 2,300 meters (7,000 feet), while the lowlands are located at about 1,500 meters above sea level. The Sulaiman range, Toba-Kakar-Kakar Khurasan range, and Central Brahui range are some of the high mountains. By creating a historic marine passageway that is exploited as a source of current trading, it attracted substantial interest from international powers and became crucial for world trade in many aspects. The study will also go into Balochistan's overview as a key geostrategic region and a global center of interest. Finally, the article will offer a quick overview and thorough study of the dynamics of Balochistan in Pakistan and around the world. The goals of foreign states are to increase their economic might in order to gain world dominance by holding the lion's share of the planet's energy resources. As a result, expanding their control over global energy resources, energy transit corridors, and important land and sea commerce ties is now essential, and Balochistan has become the epicenter of these efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to evaluate the working conditions for professional journalists in Balochistan. It explores the available opportunities for journalists who perform their duties in conflict zone under life threatening conditions. In Balochistan, religious and ethno-political factors have intensified manifolds in the last ten years and reporting on these issues has claimed lives of many journalists. Since this issue has been raised by a sizeable segment of civil society, in general, and by journalist community, in particular, therefore, learning the root causes of underlying threats to journalist has acquired a particular salience. This paper, on the basis of collected data, seeks to discover the level of professionalism among the journalists as one of the potential causes of problem and develops a number of recommendations to help journalists reduce the element of risk in reporting issues of conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balochistan has been under the shadow of militant outfits for more than a decade. In early 2000s, the Pakistani state mostly employed military force and socio-economic developmental initiatives in order to curtail these groups. However, in recent years, political measures like Aghaz-e-Huqooq-e-Balochistan in addition to integration measures like 'Balochistan Peace Program' and 'Youth Mobilization Campaign' have been undertaken to weaken support for militant outfits and anti-state narrative. Meanwhile, security forces have also changed their approach since 2013 by eliminating the second and third tier leadership of militant outfits. The paper presents an overview of how military, socio-economic, political and integration measures employed by the state have played an instrumental role in restoring peace in Balochistan. Despite the restoration of peace, there is still a need to address the socioeconomic grievances of a large segment of the people residing in the province. Until these grievances are addressed Balochistan will remain engulfed in turmoil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical energy has a vital place as it amounts to being the basic necessity of sustainable life and necessitates itself for the development of human capital leading to the general economic uplift of a nation. Pakistan has remained in the serious shortage of electric power leading to adverse effects on the state. Around 70 % of Pakistanis are living without stable electric supply. Those who are lucky enough to have access to electricity undergo around 12 to 14 hours of load-shedding. Pakistan is always in the lack of sufficient conventional sources of energy. Adding to this it is the fact that Pakistan has not made any significant steps to tap renewable energy resources like wind and solar energy. It seems very natural for Pakistan to employ the natural resources of energy which are yet to be tapped and are coming into the fulfilment of the shortage in the supply of energy. In this paper, the existing potential of renewable energy resources is studied as a viable alternative to the current state in the energy supply and demand. Southern Pakistan is presented to hold key renewable resources such as wind and solar energy in order to address the energy shortfall. Southern Pakistan, mainly coastal regions, possesses wind and solar potentials. The paper chooses selected areas in southern Pakistan containing an adequate level of wind power. The paper attempts to argue that renewable energy resources can meet the energy demand of the southern regions mainly coastal ones. The paper attempts to look at the current and future challenges in the transition to wind and solar power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of this article is to elaborate the archaeological and historical sites of District Khuzdar where a survey was conducted by the team of Balochistan Study Centre, University of Balochistan, Quetta. The purpose and objective of this work is to express and show the information in relation to Khuzdar and to bring out the present condition of these historic sites to be documented. The research paper will focus on the major archaeological and historical sites of the Khuzdar District and will discuss the present critical condition of this cultural heritage. Khuzdar is one of the most popular archaeological areas of Balochistan. The most important feature of this part of Balochistan is that, it has always been occupied and ruled by invaders from the inception. The present paper discusses the cultural importance of the area of Khuzdar. The study is descriptive in nature and both primary and secondary sources were consulted in this regard; the field survey is also included in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balochistan is at crossroads of conquerors, traders and settlers. It is ideally located along the long coastal belt from the Middle East toward the Indian-sub-Continent and a critical central point for goods to and from this part of the region to Central Asia through Afghanistan. Balochistan, due to its geostrategic position, has special influence on local, national, regional and global politics. This paper contends that insurgency proved a real impediment in its social, political, economic development and has also destabilized the whole region. The current phase of insurgency will meet the same fate as it did in the past due to its disorganized nature. This paper focuses on the geo-strategic importance of Balochistan and how its significance does exploited by the regional and global players. Baloch accounts for less than four percent of the total population of Pakistan; these Baloch insurgents living in the province that comprises roughly 45 percent of the total area of Pakistan. The Baloch insurgents dreaming of Greater Balochistan, as it includes the Baloch living in Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. This paper has proved by what methods the motives, both suspected and stated, reflect the Baloch a very harmful and lethal whose behavior is unexpected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan in terms of landmass and is the least literate. It became a part of Pakistan, when the British withdrawal took place on August 14, 1947 yet got the status of province after 23 years in 1972. Needless to say that it has been overlooked since the British rule. But it is important to note that the location of Balochistan, connecting Iranian Plateau with South East Asia, Central Asia to its long coast line in the shores of the Arabian Sea, makes it geographically an important place. In the recent months, Balochistan has come into limelight in the international media and the resistance movements have risen to the extent where the Baloch are demanding liberation and separation. It is very much evident that the geo-policies of Balochistan, internal contradictions in Baloch society, state response and the foreign hand have aggravated the problems in the province. This paper is an attempt to focus on the strategic significance of Balochistan and how does it provide an opportunity to Baloch nationalists in order to deal with big superpowers for the liberation of the country. The paper aims at discussing, the real factors behind the US interest in Balochistan and how the foreign involvement can be stopped, particularly at a time when it has reached at the brink of separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Balochistan is one of the earthquake disaster prone areas in Pakistan. Earthquakes adversely affect people and their economy, therefore disaster preparedness especially at the community level is imperative to avoid future damages. The purpose of this paper is to examine the issues associated with community preparedness in earthquake prone areas and recommend upgrading the community preparedness, and improving coordination between provincial and national agencies during disasters and seismic emergencies. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on field visits. Observations, key informant interviews and group discussions were conducted to analyze the preparedness, both at community and organizational levels. Findings – Disaster impacts are still handled by provincial level organizations in Balochistan. Disaster management authorities do not implement any activities related to preparedness at local levels, and focus more on reactive and top-down approaches. On the other hand, community is vulnerable to multiple hazards associated with earthquakes. The study reveals that the available institutional framework does not meet community needs. Both the government institutes and communities are not well prepared, therefore communities get affected from time to time due to earthquake hazards in Balochistan. Practical implications – Disaster management authorities should implement projects and activities at the local levels to empower communities for disaster preparedness and for disaster risk reduction. Originality/value – The paper concludes that for efficient preparedness the coordination should be improved between the provincial and national level agencies and community preparedness needs to be enhanced for upgrading people's awareness and defensive mechanism for safeguarding their lives with reference to seismic emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Head lice infestation is an infection of the scalp and skin which causes blood loss, discomfort, and social and psychological distress with the possibility of secondary bacterial infections occurring at scratch sites. In Pakistan, although some small scale studies have been conducted to investigate prevalence of head lice in school children and the general population, no population based estimates have been reported. The National Health Survey of Pakistan (NHSP 1990 - 94) was a nationally representative health examination survey of the Pakistani population. The NHSP is the first population based household survey to collect data on the prevalence of head lice in adult women in Pakistan. In this paper we use data from the NHSP to present an epidemiological profile of personal hygiene practices and head lice infestation among women aged 12 years or older in three provinces of Pakistan; Balochistan, Sindh and North West Frontier Province (NWFP). Results: Overall about 7% women aged 12 years and older suffered from head lice infestation. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified factors independently associated with presence of head lice. Age less than 16 years and crowding at home were associated with higher infestation-rates. The impact of household socioeconomic status on infestation rates among women was different in urban and rural settings; urban women with low socio-economic status were more vulnerable than similar women in rural settings. Bathing infrequently in summer was associated with higher prevalence rates only in Sindh, possibly due to the fact that among the three provinces Sindh has a hotter and more humid summer. Conclusions: The results of our analysis of NHSP indicate high levels of head lice infestation among girls and women in the three Provinces. The epidemiological profile of hygienic practices of women indicated that NWFP and Balochistan as compared to Sindh, and rural as compared to urban areas were less developed with respect to access to water supply and soap for maintaining personal hygiene. Simple and cost-effective measures such as provision of water and soap, and improving awareness regarding maintaining personal hygiene can contribute significantly towards improving public health status of the women in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research describes the education sector of Balochistan in relation with fiscal allocation. It establishes a relationship of the quality and quantity of teachers and schools with literacy rate, then literacy rate with education budget of the province. For this study, two different methodological approaches are used, such as the qualitative method based on interviews of experts and past research findings. The quantitative method based on secondary data obtained from directorate of education and finance department government of Balochistan. According to this paper education in Balochistan is facing a shortage of schools, especially for girls, a shortage of trained teachers, a shortage of middle and secondary schools, and too many „single-teacher? and/or overcrowded schools. The empirical results suggests a weak correlation of education budget with literacy rate but a strong relationship of literacy rate with schools and teachers at middle and secondary levels. A cumulative decrease of 3% in literacy rate has been observed for 2012 to 2014 under the specification of maximum education budget as compared with past. The purpose of this study is to explore the co-relation of funding and vast geography which is directly or indirectly affecting the education sector in Balochistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic Hazard assessment is essential component for seismic risk analysis, mitigation and emergency management. Researches assessed hazard in the selected parts of Pakistan including Baluchistan province. Seismic Hazard Assessment for Khyber Pukthunkhwa (KPK) province has been previously done on large scale, however no such work has been carried out for Baluchistan province. The seismicity and frequency major earthquakes in Baluchistan province, require detailed Seismic Hazard Assessment. This paper presents the Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) of Baluchistan Pakistan, emphasizing on spectral acceleration parameters. Earthquake loading is defined in terms of 0.2sec and 1.0sec spectral acceleration. Seismic hazard is estimated in terms of Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) using Earthquake Risk Assessment (ERA) framework. This Framework is developed using Ambarasey's 2005 Ground Motion Prediction Equation for the assessment of hazard. A maximum Peak Ground Acceleration of 1.21 g, occurs in the district of Sibi, while minimum was found in Chaman of 0.03g using 1.0sec (S1) spectral acceleration and 0.65g at Quetta using 0.2sec (Ss) spectral acceleration. Seismic hazard mitigation strategies are recommended depending on the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequent occurrence of drought is a major challenge to the farmers in the drought prone district of Balochistan province, Pakistan. The agricultural communities are facing threat to agricultural production and livestock due to socio-economic drought in the study area. The Socioeconomic drought refers to the conditions in which water supply flops sustaining water demand, resulting in adverse effects on society, economy and environment. The intensity of drought impacts is normally analyzed through meteorological, agricultural and hydrological indices. However, this paper presents a study based on interviews to analyze farmer's risk perceptions, attitude and awareness towards socio-economic drought and risks associated with it. The study relies on a survey of 265 farm households, following a structured questionnaire, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Results of the study revealed that farmers perceived a continuous variability in climate for the last two decades and identified drought as the most prevalent disaster in the region. Economic reliance on agriculture and livestock, abolishment of surface water resources, depletion of groundwater and insufficient supply of electricity has further increased their vulnerability to drought. Reduction in agriculture and livestock production as well as loss of employment were the immediate economic impacts of the socio-economic drought in the study area. Social impacts such as migration to other places, increase in social crimes, drop out of schoolchildren and impacts on health and festivals were also reported. The environmental impacts included constant increase in temperature, decrease in rainfall intensity and non-climatic factors. Understanding of farmer's risk perception to drought vulnerability may contribute in assisting policy makers for the most appropriate intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the growth of Neolithic farming settlements in different parts of Balochistan and Sindh, ultimately led to urbanization. The discoveries of Amri, Kot Diji and Tharro as fortified Pre-Harappan urban settlements provided evidences of development and progress of Indus civilization, which started from Mehargarh and ended up at Moen-jo-Daro. Keeping this view discoveries of Pre-Harappan and Harappan settlements in Karachi and its adjacent coastal districts of Thatta and Lasbela in Sindh and Balochistan have remained important field of interest for researchers to explore these settlements and excavate artefacts. The chipped stone assemblages and potteries excavated from the Pre-Harappan and Harappan settlements provide valuable information about their development in the coastal region of Sindh and Balochistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four provinces namely, Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa [previously known as NWFP (North West Frontier Province)], Balochistan, Azad Jamu & Kashmir and Gilgat Baltistan constitute the Islamic Republic of Pakistan along with Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan but thinly populated and it occupies much significance not only in the geo-politics of Pakistan, rather it enjoys great strategic importance in this part of the globe. Balochistan's strategic position is unique in the world. Balochistan is a gate way to South Asia, Middle East and Central Asia. Balochistan has potential to become an international energy corridor and transit route for trade and commerce. The objective of this research paper is to discuss general characteristics of the land of Balochistan and give a detailed historical perspective of the land of Balochistan during various periods of history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, spatial and temporal variability of drought in Balochistan has been investigated using 36 years (1975-2010) of monthly precipitation data recorded at 23 rain gauge stations in the study area. In order to detect and understand precipitation trend on drought severity, Mann-Kendall test is used. Standardized precipitation index is used to compute the severity of drought. Inverse distance weighted method has been used to illustrate the spatial and temporal aspects of drought with varying intensities. In addition, perception and understanding of the 215 farm households about drought are assessed following an in-depth field survey. The results reveal that farmers' perception regarding climatic variability and drought are in line with the results obtained using the secondary climatic data and information. Mann-Kendall test results indicate that negative trends in precipitation are evident for both annual and seasonal scale for more than 70 % of the stations in Balochistan ranging from 137.2 to 283.4 mm over 36 years, which may affect the drought mitigation, local water resources management and agriculture decision making. Furthermore, frequency of severe and extreme droughts is higher in north-west, from central parts towards south, south-east and some coastal areas when analysed quarterly at 3-month winter season and annually for 12-month dry-wet periods. Central-eastern, south-western, southern and some isolated coastal areas in the south are more susceptible to severe droughts particularly during winter and dry-wet periods because of high variability in precipitation in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan has an exclusive democracy excluding some minor flashes. Political exclusion tendency is major cause of political crises. Balochistan is one of those. Central provincial relations have been facing ups and downs throughout political history of Pakistan. Baloch's argue that central government trampled the constitutional rights of federating units particularly of Balochistan. This paper is an attempt to examine the behavioral nature of the issue. It is very difficult to understand any issue without analysis of its nature and evolution. So, study of the evolutionary process of Baloch's attitude is also part of this research piece. The struggle for provincial autonomy and response of central governments is focused in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the scholarly literature on Balochistan is somewhat limited, there are a number of arguments driving the Pakistani narrative of the Balochistan insurgency, from the role of tribal sardars in perpetuating the conflict to the neglect and mismanagement of Baloch grievances by the Pakistani state. This paper attempts to closely examine the role of natural resource-based grievances in driving the insurgency and derive policy solutions to address the conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to study the geochemistry of Akra Kaur Dam (AKD) water, north of Gwadar city, southern Balochistan. Representative water samples were collected from AKD reservoir to assess the suitability of water for drinking and agriculture purposes. The major ionic composition is suggestive for freshwater. The average ionic composition demonstrate SO > Ca > Na > Cl > HCO > Mg > K. The plots on Piper diagram reflected Ca-Mg-SO type of water facies. High Ca/SO and Ca/Mg ratios revealed that the water has influence of gypsum dissolution. The negative ratio of chloro-alkaline indices indicated reverse exchange between Ca and Mg in water occurred with Na and K in rocks. The pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved salts, Ca, Mg, Na, K, HCO, Cl and SO concentrations in the dam water were below the permissible limit, however, Na and SO were above the desirable limit, set by the World Health Organization. Important parameters such as residue sodium carbonate, sodium percent, sodium adsorption ratio, permeability index, magnesium content and Kelley's ratio were calculated to evaluate the suitability of water for irrigation purpose. The result were compared with standard permissible limits and found satisfactory. The health and agriculture hazards of sulphate-bearing water were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the emerging pattern of changes in the economic activities of women in the village of Zandra (District Ziarat), Balochistan by assessing their direct and indirect contribution to the household economy. Women's indirect contribution to the village is not a new development; they have been contributing in this way for centuries. They have always worked in horticulture and agriculture along with the men of their families. Over the last three decades, however, a major change has occurred; women are now entering the employment sector. This change has resulted in a shift from an informal economy to a formal economy as women move from horticultural activities within the household to employment outside the home. The swing to the employment sector has ushered in significant changes in their daily lives and altered the family power equation. This paper, drawing upon the findings of a recent study analyzing women's economic contribution in the light of the world-systems theory at the micro level, raises questions regarding the nature of this change and its impact on family life. The data used in this paper was collected by applying qualitative anthropological research techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balochistan is in the grip of two distinct and mutually exclusive ethnonational and religious movements that straddle important swathes of its rugged and mountainous territory. From Quetta up in the north to the coast of Makran in the south, Balochistan is being shaped by the twin forces of local nationalism and jihadist organizations. Domestically, the issue of Balochistan has remained an Achilles heel for Pakistan's policy makers culminating in five separate insurgencies in the post-colonial era. All such insurgencies had to do with the imperative of a centralizing elite and the recalcitrance of a local elite resisting assimilationist pressures. On the religious front, since 2009 Balochistan has come under increased scrutiny, with the Americans alleging that Quetta and its environs are a safe haven for the Taliban leadership, including Mullah Omar. Coincidentally, Quetta has also seen rising sectarian conflict, and the Shia-Sunni divide in the city continues to assume importance in the War on Terror. In light of the rising tide of Baloch nationalism and jihadist activism, including sectarian killings, the paper puts forth a critically oriented analysis of the twin dynamics of religious activism and ethnic conflict in Balochistan and its attendant ramifications for domestic, regional, and global security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper mainly focuses on Balochistan, the only western Province of Pakistan which shares direct border with Iran. Due to its geographical location the Province of Balochistan occupies a special place in the friendly relations and mutual collaboration between Pakistan and Iran, especially, in the context of socio-cultural and economic interactions. But, despite of its paramount significance in Pak-Iran relations, there are also certain discouraging and disappointing factors which are equally responsible for creating misunderstanding, doubts and tension in the friendly bilateral relations between these two countries. The paper addresses these factors which make this province a destabilizing factor in Pak-Iran relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to examine the role of selected newspapers in taking sectarian clashes in Balochistan to the public agenda. After placing the issue in its proper historical context the authors, along with the content analysis of the selected newspapers, have also conducted a survey on peoples' perception on related issues. The correlation between the content of the selected newspapers and popular beliefs raises new questions and yields a unique insight into the complex issue of Balochistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a 'flag-ship project' for China, which has the potential to modernize Pakistan through economic development. There are, however, major challenges as well as opportunities for Pakistan that may have implications for peace and conflict. This paper focuses on one such problem, the issue of political and economic autonomy in Balochistan. It seeks to analyze the impact of CPEC on the problem in Balochistan and propose options for the resolution of the conflict. Through the employment of conflict analysis tools, like the conflict tree and mapping the conflict, this study tries to identify the parties to the conflict and their relationship, the conflict issues, and the interests and needs of the activists and people of Balochistan. Here the regional and state level factors have also been identified that can have a positive impact on conflict resolution otherwise it may create a hindrance in achieving the objectives of CPEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the prehistory of Sindh and Las Bela coast (Balochistan) before and after partition, and the role played by the Italian archaeologists since the 1980s. Until a few years ago the prehistory of Sindh was known mainly from the impressive urban remains of the Indus civilization and the discovery of Palaeolithic assemblages in the desert landscapes close to India, while very little was known of the remains of other periods, their radiocarbon dating and the importance of the coastal zone. Our knowledge of the prehistory of the country has improved greatly during the last twenty-five years, thanks to systematic surveys and excavations in unexplored landscapes, which radically transformed our knowledge of the prehistoric archaeology of this important region of the Indian subcontinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquakes can induce structural failure, the vertical collapse of a structure, or can result in the breaking and falling of non-structural components of the structure. Most of the region of Pakistan has a high risk of seismic activity and the country lacks seismic-resistant structures. The effectiveness of the base isolation technique has been studied by many researchers, but significant research has not been conducted particularly for high earthquake-prone regions of Balochistan. This study includes the comparative seismic response analysis of the two multi-storey reinforced concrete 3D frames, with and without base isolation under the effect of seismic loads. This study indicates the effectiveness of base isolators in reducing the seismic response of buildings in the earthquake-prone regions of Balochistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the impact of teacher-related factors on the academic performance of secondary school students in the Makran division of Balochistan, Pakistan. Education is pivotal for individual and societal progress. This research emphasizes the fundamental role teachers play in nurturing students' development and influencing their future aspirations. The main objective is to assess how teacher-related factors influence students' academic achievements at the secondary school level. Employing a descriptive research design, the study utilizes a mixed-methods survey approach, incorporating qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. The study's sample includes 650 students and 200 secondary school teachers, with structured questionnaires administered to the respondents. Students' academic performance is assessed through annual examinations and school records. Descriptive and inferential data were analyzed by using SPSS software. Findings highlight the significance of teacher-related factors, such as regularity, lesson preparation, competency, homework practices, and motivational strategies, in shaping overall academic performance. Regression analysis confirms a positive and statistically significant impact (β = 0.156, p < 0.01). The study recommends administrative involvement, prioritizing teacher regularity, subject-specific expertise, timely syllabus completion, and a supportive learning environment to enhance overall educational effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural electrification is a fundamental step towards achieving universal access to electricity by 2030. On-grid rural electrification remains a costly proposition, therefore the need to consider off-grid renewable energy solutions is inevitable. However, the critical issue pertaining to local power generation through renewable energy is the absence of area-specific production capacity and economic viability data for the different renewable energy technologies. This paper addresses this issue for Pakistan’s Balochistan province by assessing the area’s potential and economic feasibility of using solar PV for rural electrification. The results suggest that the Balochistan province has the best solar irradiance value in the world. Furthermore, optimal tilt angles calculated for respective regions can significantly increase solar energy yield. The economic feasibility study, carried out for solar PV systems, reveals that the electricity generated using solar PV costs Rs. 7.98 per kWh and is considerably cheaper than conventional electricity, which costs approximately Rs. 20.79 per kWh. Similarly, solar PV systems could mitigate 126,000 metric tons of CO2 annually if 100% of the unelectrified households adopted solar PV systems. Based on these research findings, this paper proposes a policy that would serve as a guideline for the government to extend solar PV-based off-grid rural electrification projects in Balochistan as well as on a national scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a preliminary investigation on the documentation of the language of Khetrans. The Khetrans, being one of the many Baloch tribes that speak a language apart from Balochi, primarily occupy the Barkhan district of Balochistan. Earlier observations describe their language as forming a part of Sindhi or being a type of Lahnda. Khetrani is undoubtably a northwestern Indo-Aryan language, and the evidence at the researcher's disposal shows that it does share features with both Sindhi and Siraiki. Historically Khetrani lay well on a dialect continuum that spanned both of these languages and has preserved features intermediate to each. Its adjectival morphology is nearly the same as Siraiki's but the pronominal one closer to Sindhi. Khetrani verb structure is largely similar to and at par with Siraiki for it lacks the “richness” of Sindhi, despite the forms of many cognate verbs being identical to Sindhi. The most salient features of the verbal morphology aligning Khetrani with Siraiki are a sigmatic future and the continuous aspect. The valence model, however, is similar to Sindhi and Khetrani has a Passive Participle peculiar to itself. These features distinguish Khetrani as an independent language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The New Great Game was initially linked with the resource rich Central Asia but it has now been expanded throughout Asia; the oil-rich Middle East, Southeast Asia and strategically important South Asia. Owing to which it is also known as the Asian Great Game where the South Asian region is considered to be the chessboard for the strategic competition between USA and China. The Chinese establishment has realized the significance of three necessities (strong economy, maritime space and unrestrained energy supply) to be an extra-regional great power. To sustain its fast-growing economy, China has successfully gained access to the abundant hydrocarbon and mineral resources of Central Asia but it needs more energy resources to feed its massive population besides satisfying its geopolitical aspirations. Thus, the CPEC passing through the heartland of Balochistan serves as an alternate route for the Chinese energy. However, with the Chinese strategic manoeuvrings towards the Indian Ocean and the US strategic shift from North Atlantic to Asia Pacific region the sub-nationalism in Balochistan has emerged to be relevant in the study of the simmering New Great Game that has been experiencing on-again-off-again low-level insurgencies since it joined Pakistan as princely state in 1948. This paper analyses the above arguments empirically and meticulously concludes that the policy makers in Pakistan have to accelerate an already-initiated process of national integration of the alienated province owing to the decades-old manipulative polices of the federal government. The basic objective of this research article is to explore the opportunities and challenges radiating from the geopolitics of Pakistan's largest province vis-à-vis the New Great Game amid South Asia, West Asia and Central Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan and has geostrategic significance.Balochistan is rich in natural resources including Gwadar Port. Despite having unlimited resources the people of Balochistan have remained deprived, and neglected by the provincial and central governments as a result conflict and unrest occurred in Balochistan. Presently, Balochistan has become a core strategic point for the international actors for its unique strategic location, mineral wealth and development of Gwadar port and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).Presently, international linkages are exploiting Balochistan's internal condition due to terrorism. Internal and international nexus have their political and economic interest. Thus, Balochistan has seen several insurgencies during military and the civil regimes. This paper explores the national and international dynamics which has posed security dilemma and the efforts of the state to develop and integrate the province and the Baloch people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has a rigorous impact on humans and other animals on earth. There is a strong and consistent global trend regarding the effects of climate change on crop productivity, which may have implications for food availability. Balochistan is one of the most vulnerable provinces in Pakistan to climate change, which challenges its food security. The primary effects have been identified as: reduced agricultural production; changes in the suitability of land for crop production; changes in patterns of rainfall; an increase in temperature could lead to a longer growing season; increased irrigation; planting and harvesting changes; decreased arability; more pests; a risk to fisheries; and undernutrition. In Balochistan, there is no proper planning or attention given to climate change and adaptation practices. This research study investigates the negative impacts of climate change on food security in Balochistan and the ignorance of the government on this alarming issue. With the changing climate, there may be food security in Balochistan in the near future. To handle the situation and execute accepted and suitable policies and programs, it needs more successful, useful, and adaptable strategies. This study recommended that the government of Balochistan, together with all the stakeholders, use and adopt immediate actions and systematic solutions to reduce the negative impacts of climate change on food security in Balochistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the research was to explore the role of universities in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (quality education) in Balochistan. The study also attempted to discover knowledge and awareness of the SDGs among the university community in Balochistan. The study used a quantitative inquiry approach, and data was collected from 120 respondents from major universities in Balochistan using an interview schedule. The results of the study explored that universities had a very vital and prominent role in achieving overall sustainable development goals, especially in SDG 4 (quality education), but there were several factors, like low budgets for universities, a lack of modern tools, equipment, and technology, and a lack of research grants on sustainable development, that prevented universities from achieving sustainable development goals. According to research findings, respondents in the university community presented good but insufficient knowledge about sustainable development, but knowledge in this area should increase in order to understand all SDGs with their goals and targets. The research study recommended that government, non-government, and international agencies should support universities of Balochistan, in order to achieve SDGs, especially sustainable development goal 4. A great change in mindsets and culture is needed in society, academia, and government if we want to meet the challenges of this era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the issues of access, quality, and other major challenges to the online system of education for students in Balochistan during this pandemic of Covid-19. Using the mixed-method design, 100 participants from schools and 7 curriculum experts responded to the survey and the interview questions. Survey results suggested that majority of the schools have enough digital devices, and teachers, to some extent, have skills to use technology in teaching, but limited electricity, funds, weak internet connections, and teacher training were some of the major challenges for them. In interviews, the participants showed disappointment in terms of responsiveness of the curriculum because the textbooks have manifold deficiencies in responding to online education. Considering these deficiencies, proposals were suggested to cope with the existing situation. The findings of the study call for the need on the part of the academia, educational stakeholders, and elected representatives to start joint efforts with national and international donor agencies, technology benefactors and telecommunication operators in developing digital infrastructure to provide students with access to education, quality, and lifelong learning through various pathways. The findings can be generalized to other underdeveloped regions both within and across the country, as the public schools are confronting the same issues and the online system of education has not yet been initiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyalomma (Euhyalomma) schulzei Olenev, 1931 is recorded and re-described for the first time from Balochistan, Pakistan in detail with special reference to its capitulum, basis capituli, hypostome, palpi, scutum, genital aperture, adanal and plates subanal plates, anus and festoons. Taxonomic structures, which has been not discussed and illustrated before are depicted in this paper as an additional information to facilitate zoologists and veterinarians for the correct identification of female and male of this tick species. A key has been erected to Acari families and included genera highlighting their relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]