The region needs to build up its geo-technical data on the basis of which a profitable venture could be initiated.
PESHAWAR: This is with reference to a news report in your newspaper of February 3 which said that the Gilgit-Baltistan assembly was planning to legislate on tourism and mineral deposits in its jurisdiction. I am a geologist and recently retired as a general manager from the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation, which comes under the ministry of petroleum and natural resources.
I would say that before this is done the region needs to build up its geo-technical data on the basis of which a profitable venture could be initiated. Unless that is done, no proposal to invite the private sector to develop the region’s mineral resources should be carried out.
Muhammad Yaqub Shah
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2011.
