Seven of ten poorest districts in analysis were in Balochistan.
Source
World Bank — https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2025/10/17/fragile-gains-enduring-challenges-charting-pakistan-s-path-out-of-poverty. Verified in source set / retroactive normalization pending.
What it proves
Regional inequality can contribute to grievances, exclusion and weak integration.
What it does not prove: Poorest districts are ranked by poverty rate, and Balochistan holds a small share of national population — so seven of ten poorest districts does not mean most poor Pakistanis live there. The larger absolute number of poor people sits in populous Punjab and Sindh districts with lower rates.
Memory hook: 7 of 10 → poorest districts cluster in Balochistan, not most poor people
Rebuts the claim: 'Balochistan's grievance is a political and security question rather than a development one' — the deprivation gap is measurable in the district rankings.