National Party to hold demo against Reko Diq agreement

QUETTA:

National Party (NP) on Friday announced it will stage protest demonstrations against the Reko Diq agreement on December 18 across the country.

NP Chief and former chief minister, Dr Abdul Malik Baloch made this announcement while addressing a press conference on Friday.

Other senior NP leaders were also present on the occasion. NP’s opposition against the agreement on the multi-billion dollar project surfaced the day when the project was formally launched and agreement finalized on Friday.

The Barrick Gold Company (BGC) has also announced launching the mining in Reko Diq located in the rugged mountains of Balochistan on Friday.

Dr Baloch lashed out at the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and said these parties deceived the masses of the province through this agreement.

He reiterated that the Reko Diq project belongs to the people of Balochistan as per the 1973 constitution and the historic 18th amendment.

He noted that the NP would politically and democratically resist attempts of the federal government for what he called snatching the coast and mineral resources of Balochistan.

He stressed that Baloch leaders have rendered great sacrifices for the protection of the coast and provincial resources in the past.

“We would not allow anyone to snatch these resources,” he warned. Dr Baloch said the NP would start a protest movement along with all political parties and civil society to put pressure on the government to protect the rights of the people of Balochistan in the agreement.

“Reko Diq is our children’s future and we would not make any compromise over this,” Dr Baloch said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2022.