The Baluch have suffered enormously, especially over the past forty years under the Iranian and Pakistani governments. They have endured years of poverty, hardship, and pain. Basic infrastructure is insufficient. Economic development has been nearly nonexistent, and the lack of government responses to natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes has been a disaster itself. Floods in January 2020 wiped out much of their livestock and agriculture. Baluchistan has the highest rates of illiteracy, child mortality, and overall poverty in the entire region.

 

The Baluch are deprived of their rights and are considered third-class citizens. Longstanding ambitions for self-rule through the establishment of their own country has brought repressive government surveillance, intimidation, torture, and disappearances. The Balochi language, often suppressed by the government, is at risk of extinction in two or three generations despite revitalization efforts.

There is little outreach work happening among the Baluch. A translation team is working to complete a modern Bible translation, but because of very low literacy rates and the dangers of possessing printed Christian materials, oral resource distribution strategies are being developed using satellite TV, radio, and especially the internet. Most people – even nomads – have access to these kinds of media! A variety of resources have been developed in Baluchi, including the JESUS film, and more are being produced.

 

While the church in Iran is growing rapidly, even without property or buildings, there are very few Baluch believers. Engagement of Baluch by Iranian believers is difficult and uncommon. In the rest of Baluchistan, especially outside of major urban areas, access to gospel-proclaiming believers is extremely rare. All 10-12 million Baluch are considered entirely unreached and almost totally unengaged.

The 1.5 million Western Baluchi speakers who live in southeastern Iran are part of a larger group of 10-12 million Baluch spread across Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Western Baluch settled in Iran for unknown reasons as the rest of the Baluch, originally from the Caspian Sea region, kept traveling eastwards in the 6th/7th centuries.

 

Though Iran is 90% Shia, the Western Baluch, like other ethnic minorities in Iran, are Sunni Muslim.

 

The Baluch have suffered enormously, especially under the Iranian Islamic regime. Living as a suppressed ethnic and religious minority amongst Iranian Shi’ites is extremely difficult. They are deprived of their rights and considered third-class citizens. They face state-sponsored harassment, torture, and arrest if they speak out against the regime. The Baluchi language, banned by the government, is at risk of extinction in two or three generations.

 

There is little outreach work happening among Western Baluchi speakers; they are considered entirely unreached and almost completely unengaged.