The Baloch leadership has stepped up its opposition to China’s exploitation of the natural resources of the region and wants the Imran Khan government to ensure that 50% of the gold mined from the local mines should be given to the state.

The move comes as another salvo against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor CPEC in which Beijing has been making heavy investments with an eye on the rich natural resources of Balochistan. 

Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal) President Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal on Sunday said that his party would protest along with other parties in the provincial assembly and other forums if a 50 per cent profit share from Reko Diq gold project is not ensured to the people of Balochistan.

"We want 50 per cent share in the profit for the government of Balochistan in the project and establishment of a mineral refinery at the site to know how much gold and other minerals have been recovered," Mengal said while speaking at a press conference, according to a report in the Dawn newspaper.

He said after launching of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)-related projects in the province, a lot of hype and propaganda had been launched that the project would change the destiny of Balochistan, but the ground reality was that the people of Gwadar were still without drinking water, electricity, jobs and foreign vessels were exploiting the resources of Balochistan.

Reko Diq, located in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, is one of the world's biggest untapped copper and gold deposits.

Referring to the Saindak copper project, the BNP-M president said that work on it had been started just to loot the natural resources of the province instead of providing jobs.

He pointed out that as there was no refinery in Balochistan it was not known how much gold, copper and other minerals had been recovered and sent to other countries.

"A new agreement on Saindak should be signed removing past reservations of the province," he said, adding that the people of Balochistan should be given 50 per cent profit if the agreement on Reko Diq was inked.

He said that there were reports that a 100 sq km area was being allotted to the Barack-gold company in Reko Diq, reported Dawn.

"Opponents accuse the BNP-M of being an anti-development party, but we are not anti-development. We oppose the exploitation of the people of Balochistan in the name of development of the province."

He said the natural gas from the Sui gas fields in Balochistan discovered in 952 accounted for 46 per cent of the gas supplied to the entire country which has now come down to just 15 per cent. But the people of Balochistan were still deprived of gas which is in violation of Article 52 of the Constitution.

He pointed out that the locals of Dera Bugti had no other option but to burn firewood. 

He said his party had opposed the Rato-Dero-Gwadar highway project in 1999, terming it an exploitation of the province.

"Injustices of rulers are behind five or six emergencies and military operations which the province had to face," the Dawn cited Mengal as saying.

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