QUETTA: Former Prime Minister and Awam Pakistan Party Convener Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday demanded clarity on what the people of Balochistan will gain from the Reko Diq project.
Speaking at the Balochistan High Court Bar, he said that the Mines and Minerals Act is unacceptable if it contradicts the Constitution. He said that Pakistan must run according to the Constitution. He stressed that laws should not be imposed without consulting the provinces.
He highlighted the worsening security situation in Balochistan. “Roads are blocked, threats are everywhere, and lawlessness prevails,” he said. “Young people in Balochistan are taking up arms and heading to the mountains.”
Abbasi warned that injustice is hollowing out the state. “Even the Chief Justice can’t hear constitutional petitions. The public’s voice is ignored,” he added. According to him, three fair elections could set the country on the right track.
He noted that youth across Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are also disappointed. “People want justice, not deals behind closed doors,” he said. He questioned how Senate seats from Balochistan were allegedly bought for 700 million rupees.
Abbasi called for answers on Reko Diq. “People must know what benefits they will get. Without transparency, there is only mistrust.”
He also raised concerns about economic damage from unchecked smuggling in Balochistan. “Three billion liters of oil pass through here, yet local people see no benefit. Gawadar Port has received just 39 ships—if that number is true, it’s alarming.”
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He praised the sacrifices of Baloch lawyers in 2016 and said his party stands with any group offering better solutions.
Former SCBA President Amanullah Kanrani also spoke at the event.
