Climate shocks and economic challenges, including food insecurity, poor dietary diversity, and food inflation, have pushed 7.5 million people into high levels of acute food insecurity, meaning families are struggling to put enough food on the table each day. Balochistan, with its urban and rural areas, is among the hardest-hit provinces, where conflicts, chronic poverty, lack of functional health infrastructure, and frequent droughts have become increasingly frequent and severe over recent decades. 

A Region with Complex Realities 

Located in southwestern Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and Iran, Balochistan is the country’s largest province and is home to nearly 15 million people. While around 69% of the population lives in rural areas, economic activity is largely concentrated in the provincial capital, Quetta, and vast territories stretching to the Arabian Sea remain sparsely populated. Although Balochistan is the largest province and is endowed with abundant natural resources, many of its communities continue to face deep poverty and limited access to basic services, making it one of the most underserved regions in the country. 

In recent years, Balochistan has faced repeated climate shocks, including severe flash floods triggered by unusually intense rainfall in April 2025. Earlier, in 2022, unprecedented monsoon rains caused devastating floods across Pakistan, affecting more than 33 million people and destroying homes, infrastructure, crops, and livelihoods across the province.

The province has long been home to a large Afghan refugee community. Since the Government of Pakistan launched its repatriation plan in 2023, many families have returned to Afghanistan, while population movements continue. Combined with limited access to healthcare and ongoing insecurity, these shifts are placing additional strain on already overstretched health and nutrition services across northern Balochistan.