ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed the authorities concerned to form a project support team for execution of the Reko Diq copper-cum-gold project.

The Reko Diq project is owned 50 per cent by Barrick Gold Corporation of Canada, 25pc by three federal state-owned enterprises and 25pc by Balochistan.

During a meeting with a delegation of Barrick Gold Corporation, led by its president and CEO Dennis Mark Bristow, the prime minister directed the officials of relevant departments to fulfil their responsibility for implementation of the project.

Mr Sharif said that immense opportunities existed for investment in Pakistan’s mining, information technology, energy, communication and infrastructure sectors and the government was taking measures to provide all possible facilities to investors.

Mr Bristow informed the prime minister about the progress on the Reko Diq project.

The prime minister said that several areas of Pakistan, including Balochistan, were rich in mineral resources and the government was working on a priority basis to fully exploit and utilise these natural resources for the benefit of the masses.

Mr Sharif said the recent agreement on Reko Diq project would be beneficial for both sides and the project would be a game changer for the people of Balochistan and bring about a new era of progress in the province.

The prime minister was informed that 70pc of the people working on the project belonged to Balochistan.

He was further informed that Barrick Gold Corporation had established a school in the area with the cooperation of a community development committee of the area. Besides, the prime minister was briefed that steps would be taken for imparting professional and higher level education to the youth of the area so that they could get jobs in the project.

The meeting was briefed that work was continuing to provide facilities of clean drinking water and health in the area and alternative energy was being used in the mining project.

The prime minister appreciated the mining corporation for its welfare projects in the area to fulfil its corporate social responsibility. He invited the corporation to work with the government for establishing Danish schools in Balochistan.

Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Adviser to the PM on Establishment Ahad Cheema, Minister of State for Petroleum Musadiq Malik, Special Assistant to the PM Jehanzeb Khan and other senior officials attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2023