Introduction

Ethno-political conflicts occur due to the politicization of ethnicity. In the process of politicization of ethnicity, the elite or leadership of that ethnicity and ethnic group play the most important role. A very important factor in ethno-political conflicts is the behaviour of the leadership/elite and how they politicize ethnicity. Narratives play a significant role in ethno-political conflicts. Groups involved in ethno-political conflicts develop conflict-supportive narratives that “form a collective self-presentation and describe the causes of the conflict, its nature, the image of the rival, the conditions needed to win the conflict”. The Port of Gwadar in Balochistan and the recently inaugurated China–Pakistan Economic Corridor also provide Pakistan with strategic and economic significance in an area close to the entrance of the Persian Gulf. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.