BALOCHISTAN plays the role of a junction between South Asia, Central Asia and the Persian Gulf. Gwadar port is the world’s third largest port. It is at the doorway to the Persian Gulf, 180 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz through which 40pc of the world’s oil passes.

Likewise, it provides the shortest route (Quetta to Chaman) to Central Asia. The US has an eye on Gwadar for being its future ‘potential military base’, while the UAE considers it an undesirable contest.

Reko Diq is the fourth largest deposit of gold and copper, also known as ‘Hillock of Gold’ in Balochistan. It has been proved that about $260m reserves are buried under Reko Diq.

The decision of the Supreme Court has proved that under and around Reko Diq there exists 10m kg copper and 370m grams of gold.

Pakistan is important to America only because of Balochistan. America will not be able to maintain its position in 25 to 30 years and might be replaced by China. It wants to enter Afghanistan and Iran for maintaining its economic position by extracting minerals. Balochistan should be provided development. More schools, colleges and universities should be opened. Natural resources must be urbanised to boost economic and social life of the country, failing which it may become a hotbed for foreign manoeuvrings.

Zafarullah Barech

Quetta

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2014