Reko Diq case: Fawad wants Iftikhar Chaudhry to face jail

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry says Pakistan has been paying the price for former chief justice Iftikhar  Muhammad Chaudhry’s judgements.

Referring to the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) imposing a penalty of $5.8bn on Pakistan in the Reko Diq case, he demanded that a high-level commission be appointed to determine the merits of the decisions handed down by the former top judge of the country.

Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry be sent behind the bars for causing a irreparable loss to the country, demanded the minister.

افتخار چوہدری کے فیصلوں کی قیمت پاکستان مسلسل ادا کر رہا ہے، ایک اعلیٰ سطحی کمیشن اس شخص کے فیصلوں کے میرٹس جانچنے کیلئے بننا چاہئے، افتخار چوہدری ،حامد خان اور اس کے دیگر ساتھیوں کو پاکستان کو ناقابل تلافی نقصان پہنچانے کے جرم میں جیل بجیجنا چاہئے۔ pic.twitter.com/29e8ubSV0f

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) July 13, 2019

The International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) imposed a penalty of $5.8bn on Pakistan in the Reko Diq case.

In a 700-page ruling, ICSID awarded $4.08 billion penalty and $1.87 bn in interest to Pakistan. The amount will be paid to Tethyan Copper Company (TCC).

Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) had been granted license for god and copper mining at RekoDiq, area of Balochistan but the former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had cancelled the agreement with the company.

The company had filed a lawsuit against Pakistan at ICSID, claiming S11.43bn in damages in 2012. Sources privy to the matter said that Pakistan will soon challenge the verdict.

In 2013, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by then Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad  Chaudhry had declared Reko Diq lease agreement null and void.  The bench had given its verdict in favor of Balochistan government.

The short verdict had stated that the agreement under which Tethyan Copper Company (TCCP) had been given contract, had been cancelled.