Key Takeaways
- Balochistan, KP and AJK are currently experiencing unrest.
- The Seraiki belt, Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan remain peripheral to the mainstream.
- Colonial-style statecraft continues with resource extraction from peripheries.
Pakistan’s long-standing centre-periphery divide remains a significant challenge for governance. At present, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) are experiencing simmering unrest, according to Dawn's 'Restive peripheries' article.
While Sui Northern or Sui Southern supply natural gas to many homes and industries in mainland Pakistan, the small town of Sui in Dera Bugti has been extracting this resource since the 1950s. Despite its contribution, Dera Bugti remains one of the poorest districts in the country.
The article highlights that the centre-periphery divide is not limited to these regions but extends to Punjab as well. Small farmers and landless populations in villages, along with katchi abadi dwellers in big cities, are also considered peripheral by many observers.
Colonial-style statecraft continues to be a defining feature of this divide, with resources like natural gas, minerals (such as copper and gold), and water being extracted from peripheries without adequate benefit-sharing. Coastal regions and the Gilgit-Baltistan area hold valuable marine and water resources that are yet to be fully exploited.
The article notes that despite recent claims about subsidies for AJK, the broader issue of resource extraction continues. The labour outflows from KP, GB, and AJK also contribute to this divide, as the argument that these regions are a burden on the centre is increasingly seen as absurd.
There are some countervailing tendencies, with the weak federal compact attempting to redress power and resource imbalances. However, commentators argue that the 18th Amendment has empowered provincial elites at the expense of public service delivery.
The article concludes by emphasizing that while the state caters primarily to the rich and powerful, including in Punjab, the centre-periphery divide remains a critical issue for Pakistan’s future stability and development.
