• Meeting of political, religious leaders, tribal elders voices concern over security situation
• Seeks greater autonomy, resource control and end to ‘master-slave’ mindset
• Delegation to hold talks with Centre on contentious issues

QUETTA: Political and religious leaders, tribal elders and civil society members have expressed serious concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan, stressing that peace remains elusive despite an annual security exp­en­diture of Rs80 billion “due to the lack of genuine representation” in the provincial assembly.

At a gathering organised by Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Balochistan and chaired by the party’s prov­incial emir, Maulana Hidayatur Rehman, participants criticised the federal government and “powerful quarters” for denying the province control over its resources, as granted under the 18th constitutional amendment. They also suggested that security forces should be confined to their barracks.

A joint statement issued on Wednesday highlighted the province’s worsening unemployment crisis, particularly in the border areas of Makran, where the closure of borders with Iran has rendered over three million people jobless.

The gathering emphasised that Balochistan has been treated as a “colony”, with agreements made with its people consistently violated.

The participants accused the federal government and establishment of perpetuating a “master-slave” mindset, which has fuelled rebellion and resentment among the province’s youth.

The tribal elders called for meaningful dialogues between Balochistan’s elected representatives, tribal leaders and federal authorities to address constitutional issues.

They demanded an end to political interference in provincial affairs and the restoration of governance to elected representatives. The federal government was urged to halt “forced control” over local resources, such as Reko Diq and gas and coal deposits, and to annul illegal contracts. A commission was proposed to account for the wealth extracted from the province.

The statement criticised the interference of security forces in tribal affairs, which has caused widespread discontent among locals. It called for the military to refrain from involvement in local matters and urged that the Levies force and local police be entrusted with maintaining law and order. The participants also mentioned the issue of enforced disappearances, particularly of young people, and denounced the government’s lack of trust in the judiciary.

The participants rejected the closure of borders and the division of tribes living on either side, warning that tribes may take independent action if borders are not reopened. They also opposed the illegal allotment of land to “non-locals”, calling for the cancellation of such allotments. Concerns were raised over the control of Balochistan’s coastline and the activities of the “trawler mafia”.

The gathering emphasised the unity of all ethnic groups in Balochistan, advocating for the term “Balochistani” to describe all residents, including those in Quetta.

It was decided to form a committee representing all tribes to implement the agreed-upon act­ions and oversee further tribal consultations across the province. A representative delegation will negotiate with the federal government and other stak­eholders, culminating in a grand tribal convention in Quetta.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2025