Reko Diq project’s feasibility study to be completed by year-end, PM Shehbaz learns

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared on Friday that the Reko Diq project will be a game changer for Balochistan and the region.

“This project will usher in a new era of development for the province and prosperity for the people,” the premier stated while speaking to a group from Barrick Gold Company, led by CEO Mark Bristow.

Shehbaz stressed the importance of planning communication facilities, notably railway lines, in order to effectively capitalize on Balochistan’s mineral wealth.

PM Shehbaz encouraged the Canadian mining business to consider investing in further mineral projects in the province. He also urged that the government and Barrick Gold work together to create a technical university in Balochistan’s Chagai area.

“The government is taking all possible measures to facilitate investors, especially in the areas of road and communication systems,” he said.

The delegates briefed the meeting on the status of the Reko Diq project, stating that the feasibility study will be finished by the end of the current year.

The prime minister was informed that local and Balochistan-based citizens would be given preference for employment possibilities in the Reko Diq project.

The delegation emphasized that Barrick Gold Company has developed three schools near Reko Diq as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility efforts. The company also gave technical training to 100 people, including women.

Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik, Minister of Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Muhammad Jehanzeb, and other key government officials attended the meeting.