QUETTA: Former senator and senior politician Nawabzada Haji Mir Lashkari Khan Raisani has said that Balochistan’s present and future must be decided by its own people, not by ‘historians of tomorrow’ or through decisions made behind closed doors.

Speaking at a meeting of political colleagues and workers at Srawan House, Mr Raisani said Balochistan’s issue was national in nature, not class-based. He criticised political parties for bargaining away Balochistan’s rights in exchange for parliamentary quotas, saying such actions have badly damaged public trust in the political process.

He said the province’s resources were a trust for future generations and a guarantee of national development, adding that “unconstitutional legislation” was being used to auction off the wealth of the province. Mr Raisani warned that people in different parts of the province were rebelling against “the system that decides their future, dignity, and honour in hotels”.

Calling on citizens to prioritise collective national interests over personal gains, Mr Raisani urged them to play their role in guiding coming generations by becoming a strong and united voice.

The former senator said his group had been resisting the Mines and Minerals Act for the past year and pledged to intensify the struggle in the days ahead to protect the land and its resources. He added that they were continuing a political fight for Balochistan’s rights outside parliament. Mr Raisani also alleged that “fake political process” was used and rivalries were staged to divert people’s attention from the province’s real issues. He urged the people of Balochistan to defend their rights through conscious and intellectual struggle.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2026