QUETTA: A grand jirga consisting of political leaders, tribal elders, elected representatives of local councils, growers and the people of Balochistan’s Gwadar, Lasbela and Hub districts have opposed the allotment of around 45,000 acres of land for a cement factory in Hub.

The participants of the jirga, held on Thursday, declared that they would not allow leasing out of the “land of their ancestors” to anyone. The jirga was convened by Muhammad Aslam Bhootani, an independent member of the National Assembly. People from Bela, Uthal, Gadani, Kanraj, Winder, Sonmiani, Hub and Sakran attended the event.

The participants of the jirga supported Mr Bhootani’s stand, who had opposed the allotment of lands of Hub and Lasbela districts to Thatta Cement Company.

Speaking at the gathering, Mr Bhootani said he would not compromise on the rights of the people of his constituency. He said that in the past, 75,000 acres of land had been allotted to a powerful institution along the coastal highway, but with the cooperation of the masses, he succeeded in getting that allotment cancelled. He said he also did not allow the people’s lands to be used by Arab rulers for hunting purposes when an attempt had been made to take over land in Sakran in the name of a special economic zone.

He announced that he would approach courts of law for the purpose and file a petition to seek justice for the local people who had not even been consulted by the government while deciding the allotment of their lands to the cement factory.

Local MNA says thousands of acres have been handed over to firm without consulting locals

“Lasbela and Hub districts are not ownerless. We are the custodians of our people and their lands and we would protect every inch of our lands,” Mr Bhootani declared, adding that his petition was still pending in the environmental tribunal he filed against the Hubco coal power project.

Cementing the deal

Officials of Balochistan’s mines and minerals department confirmed to Dawn that the Thatta Cement Company had applied for allotment of land at two places for their cement factories last year, which was processed according to the rules and approved.

The demarcation of the proposed land covering an area in two blocks measuring Block-A 36.67sq-km (9,061.02 acres) and Block-B 42.360sq-km (10,400.395 acres) near Bhawani Dhora in district Lasbela, has been completed and exploration licence (EL-225) for limestone, shale/clay and cement manufacturing material has been issued.

The other site, where demarcation of land has also been completed in favour of the same company, covers an area of 143.50sq-km (3,461.8 acres) near Pab in district Lasbela.

“The official concerned of the mines and minerals department completed the demarcation of the land at both sites after survey and in the presence of representatives of the said company,” officials said.

A senior official of the mines and minerals department told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the department has initially issued exploration licence to the Thatta Cement Company for the period of three years. The firm would submit their report of the exploration results to the department and after that further process would be started for leasing out of the land for establishing cement factories.

‘No need for NOC’

The areas, he said, demarcated for exploration by the department comprise mountainous terrain which is not settled and belongs to the government.

“Under the mineral policy there is no need of getting NOC from the deputy commissioner of the area while approving a big project,” sources claimed, adding that the project of Thatta Cement Company has been approved after completing all rules and regulations.

However, Mr Bhootani begs to differ. “Depriving the people of the area of their lands is gross violation of the law and their exploitation,” he told Dawn.

“As a member of the National Assembly, I will petition the high court and Supreme Court of Pakistan against this injustice with the local people,” he said, adding that he has documents which prove the allotment. He claimed that a third company, Variety Cement, also applied for the allotment of land in Lasbela and the authorities concerned were making arrangements for allotment of land to the said firm.

He said that the authorities concerned have not consulted the local people and conducted no public hearing to ask the people their will. “I want to clarify that some politicians and a few bureaucrats of the Balochistan government are involved in the allotment of these lands secretly.” He said he would not allow usurpation of the lands of his constituency and would block the highways if need be.

The chief of Balochistan National Party-Mengal, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, has also opposed the allotments. In a party statement, he said such allotments were strongly opposed, while observing that through such acts the government was strengthening the policy of depriving the tribes and local people of their lands, not only in Hub-Lasbela districts but also in other areas of the province.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2023