JUI-F Leaders Protest Balochistan’s Mines and Minerals Act, Demand Repeal

Quetta:The Provincial Amir of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), Senator Maulana Abdul Wasay, has strongly criticized the passing of the Mines and Minerals Act in the Balochistan Assembly, claiming that all political parties were kept in the dark while the legislation was pushed through. He announced that JUI-F will approach the courts to seek its repeal and demanded its immediate revocation.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday at his residence, Maulana Abdul Wasay, alongside Opposition Leader Mir Younus Aziz Zehri, Provincial Assembly Member Fazal Qadir Mandokhel, and others, stated that the biggest beneficiaries of the 18th Amendment and NFC (National Finance Commission) Award have been Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and JUI-F will never allow these rights to be taken away.

Maulana Abdul Wasay also discussed the suspension of the party membership of Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Mir Zabad Ali Reki due to his violation of party discipline. He emphasized that JUI-F is committed to upholding party discipline, and any member deviating from the party’s ideological stance will face action.

The JUI-F leader reiterated the party’s firm stance against the government’s recent moves, including the controversial Mines and Minerals Act. He pointed out that JUI-F had rejected the 2018 and 2024 elections, criticizing the political situation where parties in the ruling coalition are from the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) but with the PDM president in opposition.

Furthermore, Maulana Abdul Wasay recalled the historic moment when JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman supported Pakistan’s armed forces during the 2001 conflict with India. He noted that while the military was being attacked globally, JUI-F was the only party to openly assure the Pakistani army of the nation’s support.

The senator also stressed that JUI-F has played a key role in the development of Balochistan. From 2002 to 2013, when the party was part of the provincial government, the budget grew significantly, and numerous educational institutions were established, including 8 universities and several cadet colleges. However, he lamented that no major development projects have been undertaken in the province since then.

On the issue of the Mines and Minerals Act, Maulana Abdul Wasay expressed his dissatisfaction with how the act was passed quietly, without informing other political parties. He warned that JUI-F would pursue its repeal in courts, the provincial assembly, and through public pressure.

The senator also touched on the security situation in Balochistan, mentioning the alarming level of lawlessness, particularly in Saurab, where large groups of individuals can carry out operations with impunity. He demanded that the government take immediate action to address the province’s security challenges.

In response to questions, Maulana Abdul Wasay made it clear that JUI-F would never allow the dismantling of the NFC and the 18th Amendment, both of which have brought considerable financial benefits to Balochistan. He also acknowledged the Opposition Leader’s efforts to highlight provincial issues, especially in the face of limited authority granted to the Chief Minister of Balochistan, Mir Sardar Farrukh Bagtai.

As a final note, the JUI-F leader declared that the political parties in Balochistan had been deceived by recent developments, and party members responsible for causing unrest would face strict action. He also took a strong stance against the political behavior of MPA Zabad Ali Reki, emphasizing that JUI-F would not tolerate actions that undermine its ideology and discipline.