QUETTA: Tribal elders of Nokundi have rejected the performance of the Community Development Committee (CDC) formed under the Reko Diq Mining Project and demanded its immediate dissolution and reconstitution, citing lack of representation and loss of public trust.
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Addressing a joint press conference in Nokundi on Friday, tribal elders led by Sardar Shoukat Ejbari and Sardar Noor Bakhsh said that all tribes of the area had unanimously withdrawn confidence from the existing CDC, describing it as non-representative and disconnected from local realities. They maintained that the committee no longer enjoyed the trust of the local population.
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The elders alleged that due to the absence of genuine tribal and community representation, welfare and development programmes associated with the Reko Diq project were not being implemented in their true spirit. They claimed that the CDC had failed to address public needs and was instead using community development initiatives for political purposes.
They further pointed out that despite the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) securing a clear majority in local government and general elections across the district, its elected representatives were excluded from the CDC. In contrast, they said representatives from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) were included, parties which, according to the elders, do not enjoy popular support in the area.
The tribal leaders said the Reko Diq project represents a significant opportunity for economic development and prosperity for Nokundi and Balochistan, but warned that the continuation of an unbalanced and unpopular committee was eroding public confidence in the project.
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They also criticised the appointment of a CDC chairman who had failed to win election even as a union councillor, while elected public representatives, including the district chairman, were excluded. While appreciating the investment and development initiatives of the Reko Diq Mining Company, the elders urged its management to take immediate notice and reconstitute the CDC with genuine and inclusive representation.