Ahmed Khan Malik

Balochistan, lagging behind other provinces in terms of industrial base, needs coordinated policies to tap the province’s potential, especially its vast mineral wealth, for employment generation and poverty alleviation.

The province, bestowed with natural and locational resources, offers some best assets for development. It possesses the largest land area of Pakistan, proving rangeland of livestock. “Economic growth in Balochistan has stagnated over the past few decades because of limited investment and capital accumulation,” Mumtaz Siddiqui, an industry expert, told WealthPK. He said lacking a coordinated economic policy and a viable strategy for economic development, Balochistan has seen no significant investment in productive streams (such as minerals, agribusiness and fisheries) and human resource development.

He noted that the over-dependence on old fashion agriculture has resulted into widespread poverty in Balochistan. “The potential for mining and agriculture, especially tropical products-based industries, could be exploited for the sustainable economic development of the province,” he said. Siddiqui said that the establishment of various industries can be accelerated by providing sound industrial infrastructure, developing entrepreneurship, and ensuring availability of raw material and credit facilities. He pointed out that investment in small and medium-sized units can speed up industrialisation in Balochistan.

“The province can contribute a sizable share in the total national GDP if a proper strategy is adopted for the exploitation of its natural potential. Its economic development faces severe challenges in terms of water scarcity, remoteness, and under-developed infrastructure,” he said. Dilawar Mohsin, an industry expert, said that economic and communications infrastructure played a vital role in accelerating industrial development. He said that the province has huge reserves of chromite, copper, manganese, lead and zinc, tin, magnesite, iron and uranium and ornamental stone, which can be tapped for the province’s prosperity and progress.

Mohsin said that the industry today was considered as a one of the most lucrative businesses around the world, but Balochistan lagged behind. He said policies have not been targeted to boost industrialisation, which has resulted in abject poverty in the province as the industry is key to generating employment. He said that the province’s production structure needs to be reorganised in line with the region’s demand structure as it is not organically linked to the local economy at present. He proposed that the provincial government work on these lines to uplift the provincial economy by promoting industrialisation.

Credit: INP-WealthPk