QUETTA: Maulana Abdul Wasi, the Ameer of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Balochistan, has launched a scathing critique against the provincial leadership, declaring that “fake and incompetent representatives have reduced this province to ruins.”
The senior religious leader stated that the “wrong policies, immoral and unforgivable shortcomings” of these leaders have shattered the social, economic, and commercial foundations of Balochistan. He highlighted a severe economic downturn, with traders moving their businesses out of the province, investors withdrawing capital, and widespread commercial paralysis. Maulana Abdul Wasi described this as an “alarm bell for the entire system,” indicating a complete breakdown in the business community’s confidence.
He identified the collapse of three key economic pillars as the core of the crisis. First, he condemned the closure of border trade, which he labeled an “economic genocide” that has devastated the livelihoods of millions in border districts. Second, he cited the devastating impact of floods on agriculture, destroying farms, orchards, and livestock without any concrete government rehabilitation, potentially leading to a severe food crisis. Third, he criticized the management of the mineral sector, stating that while the province’s mineral wealth is valuable, it remains out of reach for the common man, leaving thousands of miners and their families in a state of economic ruin and unsafe working conditions.
The JUI chief demanded immediate and practical action, calling on the government, judiciary, and state institutions to restore border trade, provide emergency relief to farmers, and ensure protection for those in the mining sector. He concluded with a stark warning that without restoring these three pillars, Balochistan cannot progress, and future generations will bear the brunt of today’s mismanagement.
Meanwhile the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Balochistan has announced the recovery of over one million acres of state forest land, valued at approximately Rs1.3 trillion, following an extensive eight-month province-wide operation.
In a major crackdown on land grabbers, NAB conducted the campaign in close coordination with the Board of Revenue and local Deputy Commissioners. The retrieved land, seized from illegal occupants, has now been formally handed over to the Balochistan Forest Department for management and protection.
