Reko Diq deal criticised

QUETTA:

Political leaders of Balochistan as well as lawyers on Monday strongly criticised the provincial government for keeping the Reko Diq agreement a secret and said that people of the province are being kept away from the agreement for reasons unknown.

Lawyers warned of moving the Balochistan High Court against the agreement. All the lawyers’ bodies across Balochistan have announced a boycott of courts as a protest against it.

The vice chairman of Balochistan Bar Council Qasim Gajizai, Rahat Belidi, Mujeed Dummar and other addressed a press conference in Balochistan Press Club in this regard.

They blamed that facts and figures were being kept secret on purpose which is not acceptable.

“Let me tell you it is not acceptable. Balochsitan is mineral rich but still it is reeling under extreme poverty,” said Gajizai, adding that the chief minister of the province should answer with whom and why the agreement was made.

“Provinces are autonomous they should make their own decisions,” he said.

On the other hand, Central President of National Party and former Chief Minister of Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has said that Reko Diq is the public property of the people of Balochistan.

“The Reko Diq deal is by no means acceptable, the National Party is the custodian of all the resources of Balochistan including Reko Diq,” he added.

The battle for the defence of Reko Diq will be fought in the streets of Balochistan, he said.

On Monday Balochistan government arranged an in-camera briefing in the assembly which invited widespread criticism from political parties and lawyers alike.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2021.