QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo has rejected allegations of opposition parties that a secret deal has been signed on Reko Diq gold project by the provincial government.

“Elected representatives of the opposition and government have been given a detailed briefing on the progress made so far on Reko Diq project,” the chief minister said, adding that rights and interests of Balochistan would be protected in any new deal.

Speaking to journalists after inaugurating the first parking plaza in the provincial capital on Tuesday, Mr Bizenjo said in the in-camera session of the Balochistan Assembly, lawmakers had been informed about the important project in detail.

He said that members of the opposition and treasury benches had appreciated the government’s move to hold the in-camera briefing on the gold project as it fulfilled the demand of the opposition parties on the issue.

The chief minister said that nothing had been kept secret from the lawmakers as the present government did not believe in taking decisions in rooms with doors shut.

Mr Bizenjo said the government had lost the case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and a huge fine had been imposed on the federal and Balochistan governments.

He said that in the earlier agreement signed by the previous government in the 90s, the share of Balochistan was not clear and the province had been included in that accord on the basis of 25 per cent equity.

In the new agreement to be signed soon, he said, the Balochistan government was trying to get at least 25pc share in the profits.

“It is our desire to get maximum share for the province in the agreement which is yet to be finalised,” the chief minister said.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2021