QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly has witnessed an impassioned debate over the province’s exclusion from major projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Phase II, as members from both sides of the aisle voiced strong concerns about the region’s persistent neglect in national development planning.
The session, chaired by Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, began 30 minutes late but quickly turned into a heated discussion when Opposition Leader Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman presented a resolution demanding that major development projects for Balochistan be included in the ongoing phase of CPEC.
Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman said that while the Gwadar Deep Sea Port—a key element that led to the signing of the CPEC agreement with China—had once symbolised hope for Balochistan’s development, the reality today is starkly different. “Despite spending billions of dollars, the people of Balochistan have not received any benefits,” he stated, adding that no major provincial project has been included in CPEC Phase II so far.
The opposition leader raised pointed questions regarding the scope of development under CPEC’s first phase, asking, “Which projects of Balochistan were included in Phase I, and how many kilometres of roads have been built here?” He claimed that “not a single kilometre of road” has been constructed under the project in the province.
Highlighting the dire state of infrastructure, Rehman remarked that more people die in road accidents in Balochistan than in explosions or suicide attacks, calling for immediate investment in road safety and connectivity. He further criticised the federal government, saying, “Our province does not have the right to a single kilometre of motorway. Even the cost of Lahore’s Orange Train exceeds Balochistan’s entire annual budget.”
Referring to a conversation with Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal, the opposition leader said, “The minister told me there are no vehicles in Balochistan. If that is the case, let me tell him—there are no roads either. That is exactly why a motorway is mandatory here.”
The resolution, passed by the Assembly, urged the federal government to take practical steps to include Balochistan’s major projects in CPEC Phase II and to ensure that the province receives its rightful share in national development.
Earlier in the same session, Dr Muhammad Nawaz Kabzai presented a separate resolution seeking tehsil status for Murgha Kabzai, a vast area of 5,000 square kilometres in Zhob district comprising Babur, Sherani, Khosti, and Kabzai, with a population of over 110,000. The resolution emphasised that the region’s residents suffer from severe deprivation due to a lack of basic facilities, education, healthcare, and communication infrastructure. It was unanimously adopted by the House.
The day’s proceedings reflected a broader sentiment of frustration and unity across party lines—lawmakers agreed that Balochistan’s voice must be heard in Islamabad and that the province’s development cannot remain an afterthought in national mega-projects like CPEC. “Balochistan has always been oppressed,” Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman concluded, “but this Assembly will no longer remain silent.”