Fake Mandate Has Turned Balochistan into an Economic Wasteland, Traders Are Fleeing: Maulana Abdul Wasay

**Quetta (Daily Qudrat Quetta):** Ameer of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Balochistan, Maulana Abdul Wasay, along with General Secretary Maulana Agha Mahmood Shah, has strongly criticized the provincial government, stating that incompetent representatives imposed through a fake mandate have practically turned Balochistan into an economic ruin.

In a joint statement, the JUI leaders said that wrong priorities, poor policymaking, indifference and lack of seriousness had shaken the social, economic and commercial foundations of the province. They added that Balochistan today presents a picture of widespread frustration, uncertainty and insecurity, which is not only alarming but a serious threat to the entire system.

They said traders are being forced to shift their businesses outside Balochistan, investors are withdrawing their capital, and commercial activities have come to a standstill. Business forums, chambers of commerce and economic analysts have repeatedly warned that business confidence in the province has declined to a dangerously low level, but the government remains unmoved.

Expressing deep concern, they said the business community, once a source of development and employment, is now engulfed in despair and instability. Job opportunities are disappearing, trade is declining, and capital flight has pushed both ordinary citizens and investors to the brink of economic collapse. Education, health, employment and basic services, they added, all reflect a failed and deteriorating system of governance.

Maulana Abdul Wasay said Balochistan’s economy was built on three main pillars — border trade, agriculture and minerals — but government incompetence, mismanagement and non-serious decisions have completely destroyed all three. He pointed out that around 53 percent of the province’s population lives in border districts and depends directly on border trade, but sudden and unplanned border closures have deprived millions of their livelihoods, leaving thousands of families unemployed.

He further said that recent years’ severe floods have devastated agriculture in Balochistan. Farmlands, orchards, livestock and agricultural infrastructure were destroyed, yet the government failed to introduce any effective rehabilitation program or long-term agricultural policy. Experts have warned that without immediate support for farmers, the province could face a serious food crisis in the near future.

On minerals and mining, the JUI leaders said Balochistan’s mineral wealth benefits influential elites, while the local population remains deprived. Miners, laborers and small contractors are facing extreme hardships due to security concerns, unsafe conditions and government neglect. Various studies and media reports, they added, have confirmed a rise in unemployment and mental stress in mining areas.

Highlighting the plight of government employees, they said false promises regarding Disparity Reduction Allowance (DRA) and salary increases were deeply unjust. Thousands of government employees are protesting in severe cold, but no one is listening to their grievances. They noted that inflation, unemployment and poverty levels in Balochistan are significantly higher than the national average.

The leaders said people from all walks of life — traders, farmers, laborers, miners, government employees and youth — are suffering from intense frustration and anxiety. They concluded that the situation is not a problem of a single sector but a complete economic and administrative disaster, urging the government and state institutions to take immediate, practical and decisive measures to prevent further collapse.