Activist Warns US Against Backing Pakistan Mineral Deals Without Baloch Consent

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Tara Chand, president of the Baloch American Congress, has urged US President Donald Trump to withhold support for mineral extraction agreements in Balochistan negotiated through Pakistani authorities without the “free and informed” consent of the Baloch people and credible human rights safeguards.

In a letter to Trump, Chand raised concerns over alleged enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions and restrictions on peaceful political activity by Pakistani authorities in Balochistan. He said the human rights situation must be considered in any decision involving US investment in the region and called for independent investigations into the alleged abuses.

Chand also maintained that Balochistan had been forcibly incorporated into Pakistan and that the Baloch people had been denied their right to self-determination.

“For families searching for missing loved ones, promises of mineral development offer little reassurance without justice, safety, and respect for their rights. Economic agreements must never reward repression or give those accused of abuses greater resources and legitimacy,” he wrote.

Referring to a September 30 interview in Islamabad with Natalie A. Baker, the US charge d’affaires in Pakistan, published by the US Embassy in Pakistan, Chand urged the Trump administration to scrutinize growing interest in Pakistan’s mineral sector and ensure that affected communities had a meaningful voice in decisions concerning their land and resources.

“Balochistan is our homeland. Its natural wealth is the inheritance of its people, not a bargaining asset for Pakistan’s political and military leadership,” the letter stated.

Chand also urged Baker and the US Department of State to engage directly with independent Baloch representatives, human rights defenders and affected communities, saying assurances from Islamabad could not substitute for the views of those directly affected.

He further called on the US to consider grievances surrounding Chinese investments in Balochistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), warning that projects pursued without meaningful local consent could deepen resentment and instability.

Chand called for an impartial international investigation into alleged abuses in Balochistan, accountability for those responsible and protection for peaceful advocates. (IANS)