SINCE its inception the Saindak copper and gold project was a target of controversies. This copper porphyry deposit was first identified by two geologists, an Englishman and a Hindu from the Geological Survey of India in 1901 (Chagai Gazetteer of 1901) when the British major stationed at Saindak Fort (intact till this day and now a camp of the FC, Balochistan) had invited them to survey the area.

Following the investigation by the Geological Survey of Pakistan in the mid-and early 1960s followed by detailed investigation in the 1970s when the then prime minister, having dissolved the governments of Balochistan and Frontier, ordered the implementation of the project as a pacifier dose for the people of Balochistan.

In 1999, the federal government was at the verge of finally scrapping the project but with the endeavours of the then governor and the additional chief secretary, who were adamant not to allow the scrapping of the project to which I am a witness as I managed to introduce the then chief executive of the MCC to the Balochistan government for the first time and eventually the project got going.

Since the project was planned to be scrapped, the Chinese company managed to get a very good deal for its company having the farsightedness of foreseeing the surge in the copper prices in the future. I have the copy of the first MOU signed between the Chinese company and GoP and it is kept as a souvenir.

The project is at a stage where it is at the tail-end as the copper ore being fully exhausted and probably the last term of the extended contract between the Chinese and the GoP/GoB. It is seen that not much attention is being given to the refurbishment or repair and maintenance of the plant’s equipment and machinery.

The parts and components are being replaced with old or used rather than new ones, and most probably at the time when the Chinese contract is over, the plant will be in such a deplorable state that all that can be done with it is to be scrapped. Perhaps, some could be already eyeing on this scrap once the project has stopped.

Siandak Metals, a company owned by the ministry of petroleum and natural resources, does not have qualified manpower or capacity to monitor the repair and maintenance of the plant that will eventually be handed over to the GoP/GoB.

At this stage, the government has no future plans what to do with the project and all the people who are indirectly earning their source of living from the Saindak project and the others who are now highly disciplined, trained and qualified in this particular field of the copper industry.

At present the plant is being managed by about 300 Chinese and a 1,300-strong Pakistani workforce, most of them locals of Balochistan. Unfortunately, within the span of the last 10 years, the government was unable to bring about any other copper project where these highly-qualified incumbents could be utilised.

This is a wakeup call for those at the helm of affairs to ponder over this serious issue when in a few years from now Balochistan will have many more highly qualified youths on their list of the unemployed.

ABID S. MUSTIKHAN Former Project Director Saindak Copper Gold Project Karachi