Struggle for Recognition: A Case Study of Balochistan, Pakistan

Abstract

This study examines the Baloch insurgency in Pakistan through the intersecting lenses of recognition, justice, and the shift from realist to constructivist approaches. Its purpose is to explain the insurgency beyond conventional security and economic frameworks by showing how structural, cultural, and psychological exclusion shape Baloch grievances. The study draws on Nancy Fraser’s concepts of misrecognition and maldistribution and Axel Honneth’s notion of moral injury to analyze how state policies have denied the Baloch recognition as full citizens with a respected identity. As a critical review article, the paper employs a theory-guided qualitative analysis of purposively selected secondary sources, including peer-reviewed scholarship, policy reports on the 18th Amendment and CPEC, official statistics, and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reports. The analysis covers the period from 1948 to 2024. The analysis indicates that the insurgency has been driven not only by resource disputes, political marginalization, and uneven development, but also by experiences of invisibility, disrespect, and moral injury associated with the exploitative use of Baloch gas and mineral resources. The results indicate that a narrow focus on security and material distribution is insufficient to explain the conflict’s persistence. These results reframe the conflict as a struggle over both resources and dignity rather than a purely security-centered insurgency. The study concludes that durable peace in Balochistan requires a justice-oriented framework combining redistribution with recognition. It recommends that policymakers address material inequality, political exclusion, identity-based grievances, and demands for dignity and inclusion in order to advance sustainable conflict resolution and long-term peace.