Today there is a feeling in Balochistan that the province is part of the federation on paper alone, at the mercy of a state that continues to exploit its natural wealth and quell any sign of dissent with disproportionate force. Promises by the centre mean little, for the simple reason that they have rarely been honoured.

Sunday’s assassination of Balochistan’s education minister is a tragic reminder of the simmering tensions in the province. The full-blown insurgency witnessed in the Musharraf era may be a thing of the past but Balochistan is anything but stable. And matters could get worse if the centre persists with back-pedalling on its commitments. It was pledged early last year that the provinces would be allowed greater control over their own resources. It was said in March 2008 that abolishing the concurrent list — within a year — would ensure a level of provincial autonomy that would benefit the state as a whole. At the same time, Balochistan was promised massive uplift packages that would help the socio-economic development of the country’s most resource-rich yet least privileged province. Those who ‘disappeared’ in Balochistan during Gen Musharraf’s reign of terror would get their day in court.

But little or nothing has been delivered on the ground. For the disillusioned, the government has done exactly what they expected: nothing. True, the state has much on its plate right now. Tackling Taliban militancy and terrorism is a full-time job but that does not mean Balochistan can be ignored. It is widely believed that the separatist movement in the province — at least in its current incarnation — is aided and abetted by external actors. By failing to address the genuine grievances of the Baloch people, the government and state may inadvertently be following a plot line scripted by those who desire chaos in Pakistan.