The Human Development Report 2025 (UNDP) “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI,” highlights a critical global turning point: whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) will exacerbate current disparities or open up new avenues for inclusive advancement. In a world quickly shaped by technology and choice, the report’s framing presents a unique chance for Balochistan, Pakistan’s most resource-rich but underdeveloped province, to reflect, reevaluate, and reshape its developmental trajectory.

Given the nation’s highest rate of poverty, pervasive illiteracy, and limited access to healthcare, the concept of a digital revolution may seem like a luxury discussion.

In Balochistan, where fundamental human development metrics are still shockingly low, AI may initially appear to be a remote concern. Given the nation’s highest rate of poverty, pervasive illiteracy, and limited access to healthcare, the concept of a digital revolution may seem like a luxury discussion. The report’s main focus, however, is not technology, but rather suggests how societies decide to invest, govern, and include. From this perspective, Balochistan is not only important but also at the center of this global discussion.

Balochistan has been significantly behind the rest of Pakistan, practically human development index for decades. Recent statistics show that maternal mortality is among the highest in South Asia, literacy rates are still below 45%, and more than 60% of the population lives below the poverty line. For millions of people who are not included in the national development narrative, these are not merely statistics; they are their everyday realities.

Technology and AI have the potential to become equalizing tools, but only if a fundamental commitment to human development is made first.

In light of this, the UNDP report’s focus on increasing human choices via inclusive governance and human capital investment becomes crucial. Technology and AI have the potential to become equalizing tools, but only if a fundamental commitment to human development is made first. If they don’t, they run the risk of widening the developmental and digital divide.

AI presents both opportunities and risks. In Balochistan, where decades of neglect and conflict have eroded trust in institutions and left local governance structures weak, technology could easily be weaponized for surveillance, exclusion, or the entrenchment of elite power. However, if used properly, it has the potential to completely transform service accessibility, from AI-driven language learning for Balochistan`s youth in their native languages to telemedicine in isolated areas.

Technologies for crop disease detection, water management, and drought prediction that are currently being tested in other Global South regions

AI-powered platforms, for example, have the potential to significantly increase agricultural productivity, which is vital in province that depends largely on farming. Technologies for crop disease detection, water management, and drought prediction that are currently being tested in other Global South regions could be implemented here with revolutionary results. However, without digital literacy, dependable electricity, and basic digital infrastructure, none of this is feasible. Returning to the question of choice: will Pakistan decide to opt for AI as an opportunity for the development and progress in Balochistan?

The UNDP report’s call for restoring trust is arguably its most potent message. It acknowledges that social divisions and a loss of shared purpose are contributing to the global stalling of human development in addition to economic limitations. This is also the case in Balochistan. Socially, economically, and politically, the province has long been marginalized. Its citizens feel cut off from decisions that affect their daily lives as well as from other provinces.

People’s voices may find a place in provincial planning, policymaking, e-governance platforms, and digital feedback systems.

In this case, AI can also be applied to improve participatory governance and transparency. People’s voices may find a place in provincial planning, policymaking, e-governance platforms, and digital feedback systems. However, this would take more than just apps; it would take a sincere political dedication to accountability, representation, and inclusion.

Countries are urged by the 2025 Human Development Report to make decisions that advance people-centered development. The future of Balochistan must start with a three-pronged approach:
1. Invest in Human Capital: Use decentralized, culturally aware programs to give priority to nutrition, health, and education. AI can improve quality and reach, but it cannot take the place of fundamentals.
2. Create Digital Infrastructure: AI will only be a catchphrase in the absence of electricity, internet connectivity, and reasonably priced devices. Here, community ownership and public-private partnerships can help guarantee sustainability.
3. Promote Trust via Governance: Strengthen local organizations, enhance the provision of services, and guarantee that people in Balochistan are active developers rather than passive beneficiaries.

Development is ultimately about agency, not algorithms

The development of Balochistan has always been presented as a difficult task. However, it might be time to reframe it as an opportunity to show what inclusive, equitable, and progressive development in the AI era can look like. There are the tools. There is no denying the potential. All that’s left is the determination to make the correct decisions.
Development is ultimately about agency, not algorithms, as the UNDP reminds us. And for Balochistan, being trusted, included, and heard is the first step towards progress.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.