Pakistan, April 5 -- Balochistan has been here before. Another surge in violence. Another round of official statements. Another promise to bring development to a province that has long waited its turn. And yet, despite the headlines and the handshakes, the sense of disconnect between the people of Balochistan and the state continues to grow.

It is not enough to speak of progress when the lived reality tells a different story. For many in the largest province, "development" arrives in the form of large projects they did not design, enforced with security they did not ask for. Roads are built, ports are expanded, but the people who live alongside them remain locked out of decision-making.

Yes, the security challenges are serious. No one d...