ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said on Wednesday that authorities were stepping up security around the Saindak copper and gold mine in Balochistan after terrorists disrupted supply routes in the region, while the mine’s operator denied a report that the project could be forced to shut down.
The development comes as kinetic operations in the province are being carried out under Operation Shaban, a high-intensity counterterrorism and counterinsurgency campaign launched by the country’s security forces following multiple high-casualty and high-profile terrorist attacks in Balochistan.
Mr Chaudhry said Islamabad had received the mine operator’s security concerns in early July and had directed the relevant agencies to increase deployment around its installations, personnel and cargo.
“We have directed the provincial authorities and all concerned security agencies to beef up deployment for all of their installations, personnel, logistics and transportation,” Mr Chaudhry told Reuters.
“It is our priority to safeguard all projects run by international companies in Pakistan,” he said, adding that logistics and cargo shipments to the site would receive additional security protection.
Separately, Saindak Metals Limited Managing Director Raziq Sanjrani described as “factually incorrect” a report published by the Financial Times, which claimed that he had warned the energy ministry that operations could become unsustainable within a month because deteriorating security conditions were disrupting supply routes.
China’s foreign ministry said it was unaware of the situation, but that Beijing would work with its close partner, Pakistan, to protect Chinese citizens, projects and institutions in the country.
The Saindak mine is operated by the state-owned Metallurgical Corporation of China’s Resources Development Company (MRDL) under a lease extended in 2022
Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2026