Reko Diq to be a game changer for region: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday said that the Reko Diq project would prove to be a game changer for the development of Balochistan and the region.

Talking to a delegation of Barrick Gold Company led by Chief Executive Officer Mark Bristow, the prime minister said: “This project will usher in a new era of development of the province and prosperity of people.” He said planning would be made regarding communication infrastructure, especially railway lines, to take full advantage of minerals in Balochistan.

The prime minister asked Barrick Gold to also invest in other mineral projects in the province. He also proposed that the government and Barrick Gold could collaborate to establish a technical university in the Chagai district. The government is taking all possible measures to facilitate investors, especially in road and communication systems, he remarked.

Briefing on the progress of Reko Diq project, the Barrick Gold delegation informed the PM that the project’s feasibility would be completed by the end of the current year. The prime minister was informed that preference was being given to local and Balochistan-domiciled people to work on the project. Barrick Gold said that it had set up three schools near Reko Diq under Corporate Social Responsibility and the company had also imparted technical training to 100 people, including women.

Federal Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Muhammad Jehanzeb and relevant senior government officials participated in the meeting. Separately, a delegation of the National Party called on the prime minister and discussed matters relating to mutual concerns. The prime minister said it was the responsibility of the state to provide education and earning livelihood to Baloch youth.