THIS is with reference to the editorial `Mineral wealth` (April 10), which mentioned the benefits and challenges of mineral resources in the country. Minerals are a crucial source of wealth for any country. A country that properly utilises these resourcesincreasesitsprosperity and the nation`s wellbeing.
It is common knowledge that Pakistan has rich mineral resources. The recent summit in Pakistan, highlighting the potential outcomes of the mineral wealth, was a welcome step by the government.
However, the path ahead is not without challenges. The provinces rich in mineral wealth are primarily Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, and they have been suffering from religious and ethnic militancy for decades.
Multiple voices from KP recently raised concerns over its resources and their utilisation for its people. Balochistan has the same argument about the unfair and unjust distribution of mineral wealth.
As things stand, Pakistan needs to carefully craft strategies to get the maximum from these resources. This is possible only by bringing all the relevant stakeholders to a single, united platform to ensure the prosperity and wellbeing ofindigenous populations.
The nation is already facing multiple challenges, and there should not be one created eitherthroughillintent or incompetence. Further, leasing out mineral wealth is of little help. Utilising it and setting up domestic industries are far more wealth-generating and logical.
The nation should heal from various divisions, and these natural deposits should act as the facilitators of the way forward, not a hurdle. They should take the nation forward on the path of economic stability, not of political instability.
