PM Shehbaz meets delegation of Reko Diq mining company

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Monday met a delegation of Reko Diq Mining Company and assured that the government was taking every possible step to facilitate foreign investors, ARY News reported.

The prime minister expressed these remarks while talking to a delegation of Reqo Dik Mining Company, headed by its Chief Executive Officer Mark Bristow who called on him in Islamabad on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, PM Shehbaz said Pakistan has immense investment opportunities in mining, information technology, energy, and communication and infrastructure sectors.

The Prime Minister said the Reqo Dik project will be a game changer for Balochistan that will usher a new era of development in the province.

On the occasion, the premier directed to establish project support team for the implementation of Reqo Dik project. He was briefed that seventy percent of the workers in Reqo Dik project belongs to Balochistan.

It was further informed that a school has been set up by the Reqo Dik Company in cooperation with the Community Development Committee of the area. Along with this, steps will be taken to provide vocational and higher education to the youth of the area so that they can find employment opportunities.

In the briefing, it was further informed that work is in progress regarding the provision of clean drinking water and health facilities in the area. It was also informed that alternative energy is being used in the project.

The Prime Minister appreciated the ongoing work of Reqo Dik Mining Company regarding corporate social responsibility and also encouraged the company to work together with the government in establishing Danish Schools in Balochistan.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan on Dec 9 ruled that new deal on the Reko Diq gold and copper mining project in Balochistan is legal.

Reko Diq is one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold mines. The project is being restarted after remaining on hold since 2011.

The top court announced the ruling on a reference sent by President Arif Alvi under Article 186 of the Constitution of Pakistan in the Reko Diq Project on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The SC in its ruling said that international experts assisted the court and added that the Reko Diq deal is not in contradiction with the SC’s order in 2013. The agreement was done by the federal and Balochistan governments in line with the opinion of experts and there is nothing illegal in it.