The Balochistan Assembly on Friday unanimously adopted a joint resolution calling on the federal government to enhance the province’s representation in both the national and provincial legislatures, citing its vast geographical expanse and a longstanding sense of deprivation among its population.
The session, chaired by Speaker Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, commenced 45 minutes behind schedule and opened with the recitation of the Holy Quran.
The resolution was moved by JUI-F MPA Asghar Ali Tareen, who underscored that despite being Pakistan’s largest province by area and rich in natural resources, Balochistan continued to face chronic underdevelopment and multiple governance challenges. He maintained that meaningful political representation was essential to addressing these issues.
Under the resolution, the provincial government was urged to approach the Centre to take concrete steps to increase seats in the Balochistan Assembly from 65 to 85, and in the National Assembly of Pakistan from 20 to 28. The House noted that such measures could help ease public anxiety and reduce feelings of marginalisation across the province.
Vast geography, limited representation
Speaking on the floor, Asgher Tareen highlighted that a single National Assembly constituency in Balochistan often spans an area equivalent to an entire district in Punjab. He added that the National Assembly constituency covering Rakhshan Division was geographically comparable to the whole of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He further recalled that proposals to enhance Balochistan’s representation had been discussed during deliberations on the 27th Constitutional Amendment but were ultimately left out. Given that the PPP and PML-N are coalition partners at both provincial and federal levels, he said the present political environment offered an opportunity to amend the Constitution to address the imbalance.
Provincial Planning and Development Minister Mir Zahoor Buledi said Balochistan had historically been denied due attention and suggested that instead of a marginal adjustment, the overall number of National Assembly seats should be increased by more than 40.
Opposition Leader Mir Younis Aziz Zehri endorsed the resolution, terming it crucial for the province’s interests. He stressed that passage alone was insufficient without practical implementation and criticised past census exercises, alleging that Balochistan’s population had been undercounted. He noted that the province’s share in the 362-member National Assembly remained negligible.
Provincial Irrigation Minister Mir Muhammad Sadiq Umrani pointed out that parts of Nasirabad with populations exceeding 600,000 lacked direct representation in the National Assembly. He proposed the formation of a special committee to present Balochistan’s case to the federal government with robust data and arguments.
Members belonging to the National Party, ANP and other political parties also spoke in favour of the resolution. A proposal was additionally floated to constitute a parliamentary committee under the leadership of the chief minister to engage the Centre on the matter.
With rare cross-party consensus, the House unanimously approved the resolution, marking a renewed and coordinated push to enhance Balochistan’s political representation at both provincial and national levels.
