A federal parliamentary republic state, Pakistan is a federation that comprises four provinces: Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan[REF] and four territories: the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Islamabad Capital Territory Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir.
Since 1948 there has been an ongoing, and at times fluctuating, violent conflict in the south-western province of Balochistan between various Baloch separatist groups, who seek greater political autonomy, and the central government of Pakistan.