‘Not only Barrick Gold, three more firms made offer’

ISLAMABAD: Former President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Amanullah Kanrani Thursday said apart from Barrick Gold Company, three more companies had made offer to Pakistan for investment in Reko Diq project.

Addressing media persons at the Supreme Court, he said the court was misguided by saying no company other than Barrick Gold approached Pakistan for investment in the Reko Diq for exploration of mines and gold. “In fact, three more companies from US, Canada and Sweden had made offer to Pakistan for investment in Reko Diq”, Amanullah Kanrani said.

He said Barrick Gold Company had monopoly over gold in the world. “The company does not want the news of gold discovery in any part of world spreads, as it will cause a sharp drop in the prices of gold”, he observed. Therefore, the company would like to cap this mineral in Balochistan rather than discovering it, he remarked. This would provide fuel to the “resistance movements” going on in Balochistan, he feared.

He said province of Balochistan was under attack from federal government, adding preparation was being made to sabotage 18th Amendment and provincial autonomy using the shoulders of judiciary.

He suggested the presidential reference be rejected and let the Balochistan Assembly decide the fate of Reko Diq to safeguard the interests of the province.He told the media persons the plea of Balochistan Bar Council to make it party in the reference was accepted by the Supreme Court. But, after reserving the decision in the case, he was asked to submit his arguments in writing which was painful for him.

He disclosed Barrick Gold Company, through Tehyan Copper Company, had provided feasibility report for five kilometres area instead of 100 kilometres. “But, under the new agreement, Barrick Gold is now demanding an area of 167 kilometres instead of five kilometres”, he said, adding the ownership rights of people of the province were being compromised in the garb of economic priorities.

He said the new agreement of Reko Diq was totally against the Constitution, adding the mineral resources of Balochistan were being taken abroad, while efforts were underway for keeping the people in dark. He demanded the company should be directed to establish the factory either at Chaghai, Gwadar, Quetta or at Hab.