Baloch group urges consent for resource deals
WASHINGTON: The Baloch American Congress has asked foreign investors to stay away from deals with Pakistan to develop Balochistan’s natural resources unless the Baloch people agree to them. The group made its appeal in a formal letter to investors, world leaders and the United Nations.
Tara Chand Baloch, the group’s president, said Balochistan has gold, copper, other valuable minerals and a coastline that gives the region economic importance. He said many people there still struggle to find work or get clean drinking water. Schools and hospitals are also hard to reach for some communities, he said.
The letter pointed to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as a warning for companies looking to invest. Baloch argued that projects went ahead without enough local involvement and said this had led to opposition and setbacks. He directed his appeal to investors in the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, China and Europe, as well as those elsewhere.
Baloch also urged governments and the United Nations to support the rights of the Baloch people and their ability to decide their own future peacefully. He asked them to recognise that some Baloch people seek independence.
The group said it would welcome responsible foreign investment that creates jobs and helps people get an education and receive medical care. It argued that local communities should take part in decisions about how the region’s resources are used and who benefits from them.
Baloch said the region could become an economic partner for other countries if its people were free to make those choices. For investors considering a deal, the group’s request was to secure the agreement of the people whose land and resources the project would use.
