News & Comment
Only Khilafah Can Release Natural Resources for the Benefit of the Ummah

News:

The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) has landed in deep water after failure in the recovery of full price of costly RLNG which was extended to the residential sector to the Punjab in the winter season for 90 days. (The News)

Comment:

Along with other natural resources, Allah has blessed Pakistan with recoverable reserves of natural gas and that, according to world Data Atlas in 2017, was 19 trillion cubic feet. Natural gas production is at a high level in Pakistan. The Sui gas field is the largest, accounting for 26% of Pakistan’s gas production. Daily production is 19 million cubic meters. Under the barren mountains of Balochistan and the sands of Sindh, there are untouched oil and gas reserves. Although we have seen that Pakistan is full of natural resources, never have our eyes seen a report of happy times coming ahead or how the Government is prepared to cater to the domestic and industrial needs of the people of Pakistan. It’s always an announcement of shortages of resources resulting announcements of increase in prices along with the absence of the facilities.

This reported loss is an example of insufficient and poor management of the resources by the Government and this loss will be borne by the people of Pakistan. The consumer will be heavily charged for very poorly provided services.

Islam restricts these natural resources as public property that cannot be owned privately or by the state. The actions of the Government of Pakistan defy these both rules as when it loses control, it decides to fully or partially privatise these institutions. Gaining benefit becomes the primary objective while public interest is ignored and forgotten. The Government has already decided to raise the gas prices by 5-7% on the recommendation of petroleum division. The style of distribution and accessibility to these facilities are also benefit oriented.

According to Islam, natural occurring resources in large quantities are a common property of people who may all come to it and benefit from it. No one can own it and exclude others from using it. For the benefit of the Ummah, these benefits have to be run by a state that understands that these resources are in fact a trust of the people and this duty is assigned by Allah (swt). The reality is that this and other companies are formed and are functioning as capitalist companies whose shares have been sold; thereby, limiting the profit to shareholders, while Islam gives equal rights to accessibility to these facilities. The Islamic state, established on the method of the Prophet (saw), will make sure that the consumer(Ummah) is the main beneficiary of these natural resources and will utilise the exploited and unexploited resources in the best interest and charge minimum prices.

Rasool Allah (saw) said:

«الناس شركاء في ثلاث في الماء والكلأ والنار»

“The people are partners in three things: water, pastures and fire.”

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Ikhlaq Jehan