Chagai is that backward district in Balochistan, where the land is rich with precious mineral resources. Yet, its local population continues to lack access to basic necessities of life. Chagai has become a hub for Houbara Bustard hunting by Arab royals and gold mining by Chinese and other international investors, but it is the local people who are paying the real price.
On 25th January, to mark the Day of Remembrance for Baloch Genocide, the Baloch Solidarity Committee organised a national gathering in the Dalbandin area of Chagai, which saw thousands in attendance. This gathering sent a clear message to the state’s ruling powers: the policies of Baloch genocide are absolutely unacceptable. Speakers at the event reaffirmed their commitment to following in the footsteps of Baloch leaders, continuing political resistance against state oppression, and further organising the struggle for national rights.
China’s communist government and the Canadian company Barrick Gold are actively engaged in gold and silver mining in Chagai’s Saindak and Reko Diq areas, while the Saudi government has also expressed interest in investing in the Reko Diq project. Baloch national organisations deem these projects exploitative, as their benefits are reaped by foreign governments and corporations rather than the Baloch people. Years of plunder of these resources have pushed the people of Chagai into extreme poverty.
The Baloch Solidarity Committee has not only united the Baloch people against enforced disappearances and state oppression but also, through this national gathering in Dalbandin, raised the banner of public resistance against the exploitation of Baloch resources by foreign investors.
The enthusiastic participation of people from across Balochistan in Dalbandin has proven that the Baloch nation is not only united in its struggle but is set to continue its political resistance in an increasingly organised manner. The recent national gatherings will have far-reaching effects on the Baloch national movement, and this struggle will evolve into a robust political campaign against state repression.