Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani Challenges Mines and Minerals Act 2025 in Balochistan High Court

Quetta, Pakistan:Senior politician and former senator Nawabzada Haji Mir Lashkari Khan Raisani has officially challenged the newly enacted **Mines and Minerals Act 2025** in the Balochistan High Court. Accompanied by senior legal experts and political allies, Raisani submitted a constitutional petition on Monday, calling the law unethical, unconstitutional, and a direct threat to the future of Balochistan’s resources and people.

Speaking to the media alongside senior lawyer Muhammad Riaz Ahmed Advocate, Balochistan Bar Council Chairman Rahib Buledi Advocate, former federal minister Mir Humayun Aziz Kurd, and others, Raisani criticized the act as a product of a “dummy assembly” created under a so-called **”hybrid political project”** before the 2024 general elections. He argued that the passage of such a critical law by an unrepresentative assembly undermines the historical and constitutional rights of the province.

“This law is not just a legislative issue—it’s an attack on our national resources, our future generations, and the integrity of the province,” said Raisani. He warned that the act enables the allotment of **millions of acres of land** in districts like Chagai, Washuk, Zhob, Qila Abdullah, and Qila Saifullah to non-local entities, without the consent of local communities.

Raisani asserted that **Islamabad did not bring Balochistan’s resources as dowry**, and that any law that compromises provincial ownership over its natural wealth is unacceptable. He called on all political parties, civil society, and tribal elders to unite in rejecting what he called a “robbery in the name of legislation.”

Balochistan Bar Council Chairman Rahib Buledi echoed Raisani’s concerns, praising his leadership in initiating the legal battle against the act. He confirmed that the Bar Council and Balochistan’s legal community will fully support this constitutional fight under the leadership of senior counsel Riaz Ahmed Advocate.

Buledi also announced that the **National Party will be filing a separate petition** against the Mines and Minerals Act on Tuesday, also led by Riaz Ahmed. He emphasized that this case poses a serious challenge not only for Balochistan’s people but also for the judiciary itself.

Critics argue that the **Mines and Minerals Act 2025** violates constitutional principles by transferring control of Balochistan’s land and resources without due representation. With concerns mounting over the federal government’s interest in key sites like **Reko Diq**, the issue is rapidly turning into a rallying point for political mobilization in the province.

The movement is gaining momentum, with calls for **legal action, public protest, and unified resistance** across political, legal, and civil society platforms.