There is concern about how it will impact Islamabad’s leverage in conducting political negotiation in the province. General and provincial elections are to be held by January 2008.

How crucial is India's official reaction?

Extremely. The foreign office spokesperson expressed regret over Bugti’s killing and said military force cannot be a solution. He emphasised on the “need for peaceful dialogue to address the grievance and aspiration of the people of Balochistan”. If that sounds uncannily like sermons routinely issued by Islamabad — on J-K, on Ayodhya, on Gujarat — it is part of a strategy adopted by New Delhi over the last couple of years. In the past, India would maintain discreet silence over developments in PoK, Baltistan-Gilgit and Balochistan. That old defensive mindset has been junked. It is evident from the issuance by the Pakistan foreign office of a retort that was for most of the 1990s stock Indian outrage: don’t comment on our internal affairs.