QUETTA: Senior political leader and former senator Nawabzada Haji Mir Lashkari Khan Raisani announced on Saturday the formation of a broad political front to challenge Balochistan’s controversial Mines and Minerals Act, which he alleges has intensified public grievances by undermining provincial autonomy.
Speaking after a key meeting at the National Party’s secretariat, Raisani stated that an All Parties Conference (APC) will soon be convened to finalize a consensus-based amended draft of the law for submission to the government. He argued that the current legislation effectively reverses the constitutional powers secured for the province after a prolonged political struggle.
“The only viable course now is to re-engage both parliamentary and extra-parliamentary political parties on this single-point agenda in the broader interest of the province,” Raisani said. He criticized the provincial government for failing to formally present in court an executive order that purportedly halted the Act’s implementation, calling it a “questionable act” possibly involving the federal government.
The meeting was attended by top National Party leadership, including Central Secretary General Mir Kabir Ahmed Mohammad Shahi and Provincial President Aslam Baloch, who pledged full support for the proposed APC. The leaders unanimously condemned the Act as a violation of the 1973 Constitution and a threat to Balochistan’s control over its natural resources.
Dr. Ishaq Baloch, the party’s Central Senior Vice President, emphasized that global attention is focused on the province’s rare minerals and that its people are the rightful owners. The leaders also criticized the lack of benefits from major projects like CPEC for the local population, vowing to unite all stakeholders to “protect Balochistan’s resources at all costs.”
Meanwhile Balochistan Governor Jafar Khan Mandokhel, addressing a Christmas celebration at the Governor House, emphasized the province’s longstanding tradition of religious coexistence and the constitutional guarantee of equal citizenship for all Pakistanis.
Speaking at the event attended by Minority MPA Sanjay Kumar, Parliamentary Secretaries Liaquat Lehri and Roshan Khurshid, and representatives from various minority communities, Governor Mandokhel stated it was a pleasure to host the gathering. He highlighted that the doors of the Governor House have remained open to all citizens since his first day in office.
