Partition of Pakistan

I thought that Pakistan only has problems with India, with Sindhis and Punjabis on both sides of the border. As well as the Radcliffe line (India-Pakistan border) and Jammu/Kashmir being disputed.

I was browsing some maps, specifically http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Moderniranianlanguagesmap.jpg and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Durand_Line_Border_Between_Afghanistan_And_Pakistan.jpg and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Major_ethnic_groups_of_Pakistan_in_1980.jpg .

What I didn't know was that Pakistan, on its western side, also has Balochi and Pashtuns on both side of its border with Iran and Afghanistan. The Durand line (Pakistan-Afghanistan border) has been controversial and never been fully accepted by Pashtuns on both sides.

Can anybody think of a situation where Pashtuns could be united? Or some sort of Afghan-Pakistan conflict ends up drawing in Iran or India? An independent Balochistan?
 
I thought that Pakistan only has problems with India, with Sindhis and Punjabis on both sides of the border. As well as the Radcliffe line (India-Pakistan border) and Jammu/Kashmir being disputed.

I was browsing some maps, specifically http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Moderniranianlanguagesmap.jpg and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Durand_Line_Border_Between_Afghanistan_And_Pakistan.jpg and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Major_ethnic_groups_of_Pakistan_in_1980.jpg .

What I didn't know was that Pakistan, on its western side, also has Balochi and Pashtuns on both side of its border with Iran and Afghanistan. The Durand line (Pakistan-Afghanistan border) has been controversial and never been fully accepted by Pashtuns on both sides.

Can anybody think of a situation where Pashtuns could be united? Or some sort of Afghan-Pakistan conflict ends up drawing in Iran or India? An independent Balochistan?

I remember once being in a class that was discussing the partition of India, and having to roleplay as the participants to find a just solution. Out of boredom, I decided that a balkanized India was more interesting, so the subcontinent was divided into about 20 states including, of course, Balochistan.

But I don't see the Balochistan being given independence in the partition unless India is Balkanized, for much the same reason that the Sikhs didn't get Khalistan. The Muslims aren't going to like it because it reduces Pakistan proper, and the Indians won't care for it because it sets a dangerous precedent for their own state.

As for conflict; Afghanistan hasn't really been in a shape to fight any foreign wars, but there was always the possibility of the Russians, if not actually invading Afghanistan, probing the Pakistanis, perhaps trying to break through the Khyber Pass. After that, India might be drawn in, but who knows. Conflict with Iran probably won't happen until the 80's as well, and even then I cannot think of a good casus belli. Or, you could have the Pakistanis intervene in the region in the 1990s, which would have interesting effects...
 
I thought that Pakistan only has problems with India, with Sindhis and Punjabis on both sides of the border. As well as the Radcliffe line (India-Pakistan border) and Jammu/Kashmir being disputed.

I was browsing some maps, specifically http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Moderniranianlanguagesmap.jpg and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Durand_Line_Border_Between_Afghanistan_And_Pakistan.jpg and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Major_ethnic_groups_of_Pakistan_in_1980.jpg .

What I didn't know was that Pakistan, on its western side, also has Balochi and Pashtuns on both side of its border with Iran and Afghanistan. The Durand line (Pakistan-Afghanistan border) has been controversial and never been fully accepted by Pashtuns on both sides.

Can anybody think of a situation where Pashtuns could be united? Or some sort of Afghan-Pakistan conflict ends up drawing in Iran or India? An independent Balochistan?

No.

If the subcontinent is unstable today, just wait and see how it'll be when you break it up into more and more countries.

People need to drop this idea that the solution to instability is to partition people by ethnic/linguistic/religious heritage. In most parts of the world, including Pakistan, all groups are extremely mixed with no clean lines surrounding them.

Pakistan has some separatist conflicts, primarily in Baluchistan, but I think the odds are extremely low that Baluchistan would seek independence. Besides, much of "Baluchistan" is actually Pashtun majority. And Karachi and Hyderabad, despite being in Sindh, have huge Baluchi populations.
 
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