Balochistan High Court Suspends Mines and Minerals Act

The Balochistan High Court on Thursday suspended the implementation of the Mines and Minerals Act until the next hearing and directed the provincial government to submit its response.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Muhammad Kamran Khan Mullahkhail and Justice Najmuddin Mengal issued the order while hearing multiple petitions challenging the controversial law.

Former senator Mir Lashkari Khan Raisani appeared before the court along with his legal team, including Barrister Muhammad Iqbal Kakar, Advocate Muhammad Riaz Ahmed, and Advocate Syed Nazir Agha. Advocate General Adnan Basharat represented the provincial government.

During the proceedings, Chief Justice Mullahkhail expressed displeasure over the government’s failure to submit its reply despite several months having passed.

The bench directed the advocate general to file the response at the next hearing scheduled for next week. The court also ordered that the implementation of the Mines and Minerals Act remain suspended until then.

Speaking to the media outside the court, Barrister Kakar criticized the government for not filing its reply, calling it a sign of a lack of seriousness on the issue.

Raisani said he and his associates challenged the law both in court and publicly because they believed the act did not adequately protect the interests of Balochistan.

He added that political parties had earlier agreed to review the law but had remained silent afterward.

He described the court’s decision to halt all allotments under the Mines and Minerals Act until the next hearing as a major legal success for the petitioners.