Sunni Baloch Ulama Denounce “Possible Division of Sistan-Baluchistan”

Following the demand of a member of the Iranian parliament to divide Sistan-Baluchistan province, Sunni and Baloch scholars denounced the possible plan of dividing Baluchistan.
“SunniOnline” reported Friday imams and presidents of Islamic seminaries mainly showed their opposition to the possible plan of dividing Baluchistan, terming it unacceptable.
Mawlana Khudabakhsh Islamdoust, a senior teacher at Islamic seminary of Chabahar talked to “SunniOnline” exclusively and said: “I think not only Baluchistan should not be divided, but the previous parts of Baluchistan should be returned to our province, too.”
“Largeness of any province is not any logic reason of backwardness and being undeveloped. The main problem is that there is no any trust on the locals. Discrimination is the other reason of poverty and deprivation in the province,” he underlined.
The Friday imam of Ramin town of Chabahar said: “Those who want to divide the province, in fact they want to employ and recruit more non-locals in the offices and posts.”

Meanwhile Shaikh Abdol-Samad Sadati, a Friday imam of Saravan city also opposed the plan of dividing Baluchistan. He said: “Dividing Baluchistan is against the wishes of Baluchistan’s people. It is an illogic and irrational plan. Without removing discrimination, narrow-mindness and poverty the province cannot get rid of the problems.”

The president of Shams-ul-Uloom seminary of Iranshahr city shared his view on the topic and said: “Sistan-Baluchistan can be developed by accurate planning, justice and focusing on the principle of meritocracy.”
He also urged on removing discriminations and equal behavior with all masses and communities.
Talking to the worshipers in the Nour grand mosque of Iranshahr, Shaikh Mohammad Tayyeb Mollazahi said: “Baluchistan is our original identity and we never allow anyone to change its name.”

Mawlana Mohammad Hussein Gorgij from Golestan province of Iran and Mawlana Abdur-Rasheed Shahbakhsh of Zabol city in the Sistan part of Sistan-Baluchistan province also opposed the disputable plan.
Mawlana Abdur-Rasheed said: “Baluchistan is very important for the Sunni community of Iran and Baluch nation. They do not allow any change or removal in the title of Baluchistan.”
He also reminded president Rouhani his promises about the rights of communities, especially the Sunni community of Iran. He said history will never forget leaders’ behavior after their promises.
The president and rector of Badr-ul-Uloom seminary of Zabol alluded to the condition of Sunnis in Sistan region and said: “There has not been any positive change for the Sunnis in Sistan and still they are deprived from governorship of cities and management of offices. While 45% of the population in Sistan region belongs to Sunnis.”