Silence over Reko Diq deal: Federal, Balochistan govts rebuked

Supreme Court wonders why Islamabad and Quetta not answering allegations over the lease deal.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court reprimanded the federal and provincial governments on Monday for not responding to allegations related to the lease of Reko Diq mines to a foreign firm for extracting gold and copper in Balochistan.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry presided over the three-member bench, comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday.

“Why is the government not taking the issue seriously when the whole world is tuned in to the case?” asked the chief justice.

“The Balochistan government was sidelined when the Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) was awarded the contract,” petitioner Tariq Asad said. He added that if Pakistan were to take the initiative in exploiting its natural resources, the economy would really take off.

“The reserves of gold and copper belong to the nation but the mines were leased to TCC for it to extract the precious metals and export them for value addition in return for nominal royalties,” Tariq submitted before the bench.

The court issued a contempt of court notice to TCC, acting on the application of Watan Party leader, Barrister Zafarullah Khan. He is one of the petitioners in the case.

He contended that since the company is facing trial and the matter is sub judice, the company is trying to influence the court by publishing advertisements in newspapers. The company’s initiative is equal to contempt of court.

“The court is invested with the final authority to decide the case. The bench cannot be influenced by these means,” observed the chief justice. He issued TCC a show-cause notice. The company is to explain its stance in court on January 19.

The nation would like this case to be decided as quickly as possible, the chief justice remarked. He queried the deputy attorney general on the governments’ response. When he could not satisfy the court, the CJ directed the federal and provincial governments to submit their replies.

The company is prepared to explain its position before the bench, said TCC’s counsel, Abdul Hafiz Pirzada. It did not conceal information when the case was being heard by the Balochistan High Court.

The case has been adjourned till January 25.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th,  2011.