QUETTA: The Balochistan government will reintroduce its recently passed Mines and Minerals law in the provincial assembly after objections from opposition lawmakers and industry stakeholders.
The Mines and Minerals Act, passed by the Balochistan Assembly in July, was challenged by the opposition parties, including ANP, BNP, Pakhtunkhwa MAP, National Party, JUI, and other political parties in the Balochistan High Court.
Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti told reporters a day earlier that the law had triggered concerns from several quarters, prompting consultations with opposition leaders and mine owners. “No unilateral decision will be taken in matters concerning public interest and people’s rights,” he said, adding the legislation would now be presented as a resolution and reviewed by a joint committee of government and opposition members.
He noted that under Pakistan’s 18th Constitutional Amendment, provinces can only amend existing mining laws rather than create entirely new ones.
Opposition leader Younus Zehri welcomed the move, saying the government had responded constructively to concerns raised. “Mine owners have also been consulted, and their reservations have been placed before the chief minister,” he said. He expressed hope that revisions to the act would address challenges faced by both the public and the province’s mining sector.
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Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province, holds vast untapped reserves of copper, gold, coal and other minerals. Disputes over resource ownership and revenue-sharing have long complicated investment in its mining industry.
