IN these times, when the protesters of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) are demanding fundamental rights in Balochistan, it may appear insensitive to discuss the province’s mineral resources. However, this is precisely the moment to contextualise these resources.

In December 2022, the government quietly pushed through the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act (FIPPA), a move aimed at paving the way for the various foreign investment initiatives, including the Reko Diq mining project in Balochistan. These projects were envisioned as the beginning of our national economic revival. However, achieving these goals seems difficult with thousands protesting across the province.

Balochistan is rich in minerals but plagued by discontent. The state appears to have failed in addressing the grievances of its people. While the government uses force to suppress dissent, it simultaneously seeks foreign investment for the region’s mineral wealth. This presents an alarming inconsistency in the federal policy.

Mining presents a rare chance for the state to rebuild trust with the people of Balochistan. But when we speak of the people, we don’t just mean the elite or those in power. We refer to those who are protesting on the streets, demanding justice. They seek fair trials, the right to see their loved ones, the freedom to choose their leaders, and the ability to voice their concerns against the centre. They fight for their rightful share of resources. The old strategy of controlling the people through nawabs and sardars has run its course. The current mass mobilisation is proof that suppressing the voices of the people is no longer a sustainable option. The state must listen, or risk losing the opportunity to heal a long-fractured relationship.

Mining presents a chance for the state to rebuild trust with Balochistan.

To engage with indigenous people has always been the foremost step in the development of a mining operation ­— from exploration to mine closure. This sector extends an opportunity for indigenous participation through training, employment, social investments, and procurement. These efforts could make the mining industry one of the largest private/public-sector employers of Baloch in their province. But what we see, on the contrary, is people begging for fundamental rights.

As an outcome of the various geoscience and feasibility studies, the consensus is clear that the most valuable minerals, including copper, lithium, and gold, are concentrated in some of Pakistan’s poorest regions, ex-Fata and Balochistan. Yet, instead of designing policies for local development in these areas, these resources are primarily processed abroad, with most of the export taking place to China. At this point, we lack the capabilities of manufacturing to compete globally, however, there could be some initiatives that could help gain the trust of local communities.

Securing access to minerals of Balochistan and processing is essential for a successful revival of the writ of the centre in the province. The access must be managed with care, ensuring that federal policy decisions do not overlook local engagement at any stage.

The path to utilise Balochistan’s natural resources must first pass through addressing the deep-seated grievances of the Baloch people. At the heart of their discontent lies the unresolved issue of enforced disappearances. In such a situation, conferences to attract foreign investment held in Islamabad are irrelevant until the basic human rights of the people are recognised and restored.

Once the outstanding issues of fundamental rights are adequately addressed, the conversation can shift to what is equally important: equitable sharing of the province’s natural resources with its rightful owners — the Balo­­ch people. It’s an irony that a region home to resources like the Saindak copper-gold project, the Reko Diq mine, and the Sui gas field sees its people languishing among the world’s poorest, with per capita earnings below $1,000. When evaluating any development index — whether it’s the ratio of provincial per capita GDP to the national per capita GDP, gross regional product (GRP), Human Development Index, literacy rate, or any other measure — Balochistan consistently ranks at the bottom. This disparity demonstrates a contradiction of the federal policies that continue to neglect Balochistan’s rightful share in its own prosperity.

The young women who are leading the BYC are offering Islamabad a crucial opportunity — a chance to engage in meaningful dialogue. They are hurt. This is a call to listen with an open mind, free from prejudice, and to expand the conversation to include the rightful and just distribution of resources. The time for action is now.

The writer is a public policy specialist.

X: @umerasks

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2024