Anwar sighed as he finished the last of the khaddi kabab – a traditional Baloch dish in which a whole sheep is stuffed with rice, and cooked in an underground fire pit. The sun is setting over the mountains and Anwar prepares for evening prayers, hoping that will bring some peace to his troubled thoughts.
He worries over the news of a military attack in a nearby village. His wife is pregnant, and he worries about her delivery. If the child lives, he wonders what opportunities they will have with no schools, and no end to the conflict that only seems to make life harder.
The Baloch people are mainly found in the mountains and deserts of southern Pakistan. Traditionally, they were nomadic, but most have semi-settled into mud or stone huts on the hills, growing wheat and raising camels, cattle sheep, and goats, which they move in winter to forage. They are among the poorest and the least educated people in Pakistan.
It is a difficult life in a region that has seen little development. The last two decades have seen escalating violence between Baloch nationalist groups who want to establish an independent Balochistan, and the Pakistani authorities. Most of the Baloch want more control of the natural resources (like coal, gas, oil, and gold) in their homeland, not necessarily to leave Pakistan. But the Pakistani government has been harsh in its attempts to suppress insurgent groups, so the conflict is ongoing with outbursts of violence and little hope of resolution.
How to Pray
- The Baloch have no known believers and no known efforts to make disciples among them. Pray that God will make a way to fulfil His Great Commission in this region. (Matthew 28:19)
- Pray for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and efforts to improve living conditions here. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
- Pray for blessings on the Baloch, that they would experience the love and compassion of God.(Isaiah 54:10)
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