QUETTA: The government should take all institutions and public representatives into confidence on the recently signed agreement on the Reko Diq project by making it public.

The demand was made at a seminar addressed by political leaders, lawyers, writers, intellectuals and representatives of journalists’ organisations.

They said it is the responsibility of all segments of society and political parties to protect and defend the resources of Balochistan. They said those who approved the Reko Diq agreement without reading its documents would be held accountable for any wrongdoing in it.

Former senator Nawabzada Mir Lashkari Khan Raisani, Deputy Organiser of National Democratic Party Rashid Karim Baloch, National Party vice president Dr Ishaq Baloch, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists president Shahzada Zulfiqar, Dr Mah Rang of Baloch of Solidarity Council and Balochistan Bar Council’s member Advocate Rahab Buledi were among the speakers.

Mr Raisani said that the people of Balochistan has the fundamental right on the resources of their province. This is very unfortunate that the people of Balochistan have always been deprived of their rights. In every agreement or decision taken on the coast and resources of Balochistan its people were ignored, he added.

He said long before the recent agreement on the Reko Diq Project was signed, Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a tweet that “we will pay off the debts of the country from Reko Diq Project”. Calculate how many loans have so far taken in the history of the country, he said, questioning, “where those loans were spent, what did Balochistan get from those loans”.

PFUJ president Shahzada Zulfiqar called for making the agreement on the Reko Diq Project public.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2022