QUETTA: Senior politician and former senator Nawabzada Haji Mir Lashkari Khan Raisani has termed the Mines and Minerals Act a “law of plunder”, saying that efforts are being intensified to challenge the legislation and protect Balochistan’s resources for future generations.

Speaking to the media after a hearing of his petition at the Balochistan High Court, he said that public representatives were focusing more on Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) schemes rather than safeguarding the rights of Balochistan, which, he added, was worsening the situation.

He said the chief minister had claimed that the implementation of the Act was halted through an executive order, but that order had neither been made part of the court record nor shared with the public. He added that although the government had mentioned the formation of a committee, no notification had been issued and no details had been provided.

Mr Raisani reiterated that the struggle against the Act would continue to safeguard the province’s resources for future generations. He also expressed concern that the prioritisation of PSDP over provincial rights was contributing to rising unemployment, poverty, injustice and insecurity in Balochistan. Responding to a question, he said that if the establishment had not protected foreign interests over the past 70 years, the country would not be facing its current crises.

Barrister Muhammad Iqbal Kakar, the counsel for Mr Raisani, said that during the previous hearing, the advocate general had claimed to possess a copy of the chief minister’s executive order on his mobile phone, which was supposed to be made part of the court record. He criticised the situation, saying it appeared the government was attempting to run the province through mobile phones and was employing delaying tactics.

He added that Mr Raisani had written to the Mines and Minerals Development director seeking details of licences issued, but no response had been received.

He demanded that the executive order halting the implementation of the Act be placed on record and made public, adding that the government was creating ambiguity.

Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2026