Balochistan’s mineral wealth belongs first and foremost to its people: PM Shehbaz
Premier calls for federal-provincial cooperation, dialogue to address province’s grievances
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared on Friday that the people of Balochistan would be given the first priority in reaping the benefits of the province's "wealth", stating that investment and resources are necessary for extracting metals and minerals from the region. Addressing the conclusion of the Balochistan National Workshop in Quetta, the premier addressed senior government officials, local notables, and religious leaders from the area.
He emphasized that while Balochistan is Pakistan's richest province, its precious metals and minerals remain hidden beneath mountains in large quantities. PM Shehbaz reiterated that the wealth belongs to the people of Balochistan, regardless of their region. He acknowledged the challenges in fully extracting the province's resources, highlighting the need for investment, expertise, and means.
He called for collaboration between Balochistan and the federal government to "bring this wealth to the people of Balochistan first, and then to the people of Pakistan". The premier also discussed the province's challenges, including education, healthcare, and infrastructure, stressing that these issues are not unique to Balochistan.
He reiterated that resolving these problems requires mutual consensus and fair distribution of resources for the benefit of all provinces. Prime Minister Shehbaz warned against resorting to violence to solve challenges, citing instances of innocent lives being lost due to ethnic or regional biases. He condemned terrorism in Balochistan, attributing it to hostile nations supporting terrorists.
He praised the security forces for their relentless efforts to protect hundreds of millions of children from terrorist attacks. Earlier, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir warned that foreign-backed proxies are being used to destabilize Balochistan, obstruct its development, and create discord between the state and its people.
The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) reported a significant deterioration in the security situation in Balochistan last month, with a reported 241% increase in the overall death toll, including a staggering 933% rise in security personnel deaths, a 933% increase in terrorist deaths, and a 93% surge in civilian deaths.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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