Assure Baloch People of Their Right Over Provincial Resources, Says Mahmood Khan Achakzai

**Islamabad (Qudrat):** Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai has stressed that the Baloch people must be given a clear assurance that they are the rightful owners of their province’s resources, saying that such recognition would turn Pakistan into a “beautiful bouquet” of nations.

Speaking in the National Assembly on the deteriorating situation in Balochistan, Achakzai expressed concern over growing distances within state institutions and urged efforts to reduce these gaps. He remarked that Balochistan has become a “blind spot” for the entire country, with a long history of neglect.

The opposition leader recalled that under the Gandamak Agreement, parts of present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were separated from Afghanistan, and later in 1970, Baloch and Pashtun areas were merged into Balochistan. He said that in many areas of the province, political activity cannot take place without the consent of tribal chiefs, adding that such princely systems were incorporated into the state structure.

Highlighting economic deprivation, Achakzai said that natural gas is produced in Sui and supplies the entire country, yet women in the area still cook on firewood. “In such circumstances, who will remain loyal?” he asked, clarifying that while he does not support terrorism, the prevailing conditions leave the Baloch people with few options.

Addressing the Speaker of the National Assembly, he urged strengthening of parliament, saying that no sane person would choose war and violence if democratic institutions were empowered. He added that slogans alone would not build the country and emphasized that Pashtuns constitute around 50 percent of Balochistan’s population. “Assure the Baloch that the province’s resources belong to them, and Pakistan will become a model federation,” he said.

Referring to a recent violent incident, Achakzai stated that the armed attackers had come prepared to die and questioned how militants were able to roam freely across 15 districts for hours without being intercepted. He raised serious questions over intelligence failures and said that if such negligence was deliberate, it amounted to a grave injustice, adding that in such a situation, a government with integrity would step down.

He also criticized the media, saying that despite the loss of precious lives in Balochistan, television channels did not even suspend entertainment programs. Reflecting on the roots of militancy, Achakzai said that Pakistan had imported terrorism during the Afghan war in collaboration with the United States, recalling the promotion of the so-called “jihad culture” and the spread of weapons after that period.

The opposition leader further questioned whether the state had trained militants for armed operations in the past, saying these policies had long-term consequences. In addition to political issues, Achakzai demanded that the government allow two expert doctors to examine PTI founder Imran Khan in jail. He said he would write to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to permit Imran Khan’s personal doctors to conduct a medical check-up, questioning why such a request should be controversial.