News
Friday, January 28, 2011
SC seeks details of Reko Diq project agreement
* CJP asks senators to desist from commenting over the case
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the Balochistan government to provide details of agreements it made with foreign companies for exploration of gold and copper mines in Reko Diq area.
A four-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Muhammad Sair Ali, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, has been hearing a case against the leasing of Reko Diq gold and copper mines in Balochistan, worth over $260 billion, to foreign mining companies by the federal government in violation of law.
During the proceedings, Justice Chaudhry asked the senators, who were party to the proceedings on award of the project, to desist from commenting over the issue on TV programmes.
Raza Kazim, counsel for one of the petitioners, told the court that the country’s law did not permit for a joint venture without acquiring a prospecting licence.
According to rules, approval of the department concerned was mandatory before entering into any agreement, he said in reply to a court query.
The counsel contended that as per law, the ownership of a project could not be sold out, adding that the BHP, a mining company, had made an agreement for exploration of the mine reserves in 1996 but later sold it out to the Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) for $260 million in 2006.
The court, while directing the advocate general Balochistan to provide complete details of the project, adjourned the hearing until Friday (today).
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk