Pakistan's political and economic troubles are piling up so fast that even its closest ally China appears to be having second thoughts. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), has claimed that China is unhappy with Pakistan and is pulling back from several mining projects underway in Balochistan.
Army command and the weapons-first mindset
According to Fazlur Rehman, ever since real control passed into the hands of Pakistan's army chief, the country's entire focus has narrowed down to building weapons. He says that while this shift has been underway, internal conditions inside Pakistan have grown so unstable that even its longtime partner countries are now becoming cautious and stepping back. In the same breath, he raised a string of questions about Pakistan's mineral wealth, its economic condition and its sovereignty. This is not the first time he has confronted the government over the state of affairs in the country; he has previously taken on the administration too, and this time his target was Pakistan's mineral resources.
Pointed questions over the Reko Diq project
In a video, Fazlur Rehman spoke at length about Pakistan's mineral reserves and the mining projects running in the country. He directly asked who is really benefiting from the minerals buried in Pakistani soil. Naming the Reko Diq project specifically, he asked who is carrying out the mining there and where the extracted minerals are ultimately being sent. The implication of his question was clear, that a large share of the wealth coming out of Pakistan's land may not be reaching Pakistan at all.
Has China turned against Pakistan too?
Fazlur Rehman believes Pakistan has still not been able to draw the real benefit from its massive mineral wealth. He also questioned how the country's natural resources are being used and who ultimately pockets the profits from them. In his remarks, he raised serious questions all at once about Pakistan's mineral wealth, its relationship with China, its economic dependence, the influence of foreign institutions, and the current political setup. According to him, the situation inside Pakistan has deteriorated to the point that even China is now stepping back from Balochistan's mining projects, ventures that have already been stuck for decades. He further claimed that China has warned Pakistan on this front multiple times, and that the persistent delays in the Gwadar project have only added to its unease.
Saindak project's functioning also under fire
The JUI-F chief also sharply criticised the functioning of the Saindak mining project in Balochistan. He said the project has been running for years, yet Pakistan has not received the benefit that was expected from it. However, he did acknowledge that major projects like Reko Diq and Saindak are currently operational, meaning they have not been shut down, the question is only about how the proceeds from them are being shared. His remarks are expected to intensify the political debate in Pakistan over its mineral wealth and how it is being used.
An economy propped up by debt, and a view on new provinces
Fazlur Rehman also expressed deep concern over Pakistan's economic condition. He said the country remains heavily dependent on the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other international lending institutions. He went as far as to say that political servitude in Pakistan has not ended completely, it has merely changed its form, with the institutions that lend to Pakistan now indirectly shaping its policies. Besides this, Fazlur Rehman also shared his opinion on the growing demands for new provinces in Pakistan, saying that dividing provinces is not a direct or lasting solution to the country's core problems.
