Qaseem Shah:
A controversial bill proposing the transfer of Balochistan’s mineral rights to the federal government was passed with support from all major political parties). The bill was presented by Provincial Finance Minister Mir Shoaib Nosherwani.
The Assembly session regarding this bill was held in this Ramdan. The meeting lasted for four hours, was tabled by Minister Nosherwani and attended by representatives of the National Party, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), and mine owners from the province.
The current bill has sparked objections from various quarters, with critics arguing that it undermines provincial autonomy guaranteed under the 18th Amendment. According to the amendment, minerals are a provincial subject; however, the federal government retains advisory authority.
Critics also raised concerns over the enhanced financial requirements for mineral exploration. Previously, a bank statement of Rs. 40,000 was sufficient to initiate exploration work; the new bill raises this requirement to between Rs. 10 million and Rs. 20 million, potentially barring local investors from participating.
Moreover, the bill fails to outline provisions for local employment, social responsibilities such as the construction of roads and schools, and a clear mechanism for royalty payments to the province. The involvement of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in managing the province’s mineral resources has also drawn criticism.
Balochistan is known to possess 106 types of minerals, although only around 50 have been discovered and explored to date.
