The insurgency in Balochistan, a region that has endured decades of repression and discrimination at the hands of Pakistani authorities, appears to be entering its final phase. In a move likely to unsettle Pakistan’s military establishment, the self-declared Republic of Balochistan has announced a major step toward state-building. Just days after declaring independence from Pakistan, the organization has officially announced that it will conduct the first national population and housing census in Balochistan’s history in 2027 — a declaration that has delivered a sharp shock to Islamabad.
Behind the census announcement lies an attempt to expose what Baloch representatives describe as a long-standing manipulation by Pakistani authorities. According to official Pakistani government records, Balochistan’s total population stands at just 15 million. The Republic of Balochistan has flatly rejected these figures, alleging that Pakistan’s census authorities have deliberately undercounted the region’s population in order to minimize the funds and resources allocated to it. The organization claims the actual population of the Balochistan region is closer to 60 million, and says it is undertaking the 2027 census specifically to present accurate records to the world.
Baloch representatives have made clear that no Pakistani government institution or official will have any role whatsoever in the census process. Instead, the data will be collected exclusively by Balochistan’s own national institutions and their official representatives. Information gathered from every citizen and every household will be stored directly in a “National Digital Database,” which will serve as the foundation for a dedicated digital records system for Baloch citizens, a digital identity program, voter rolls, and a taxation framework. In effect, the census is being positioned as the cornerstone for building a modern, accountable digital nation for future generations.
The census will capture Balochistan’s actual population, the total number of women, children, youth, and elderly residents, complete household-level details, and population data broken down by region and district. Baloch representatives said that in the past, the Pakistani government relied on estimates and inaccurate figures to shortchange Balochistan. This time, they said, the accurate data collected will be used to prepare the region’s first official population registry — and, from it, its own “national budget.” Officials said the data would guide decisions on budget allocations across sectors, the number of new schools needed in each district, funding for healthcare, spending on infrastructure such as roads, electricity, and drinking water, and whether social welfare schemes are actually reaching their intended beneficiaries.
For decades, Balochistan has faced severe repression and human rights violations under Pakistani rule, with valuable natural resources such as gas and gold extracted from its soil even as the local Baloch population has been denied full political, economic, and cultural rights, according to Baloch leaders. Baloch leader Mir Yar Baloch has said that roughly 85 percent of Balochistan’s territory remains under the group’s control. Within days of declaring independence, the Republic of Balochistan had already established its own national flag, national emblem, and administrative structure. Now, with the direct announcement of a national census, the group has delivered yet another significant jolt to Pakistan, further asserting its claim to sovereign statehood.