The
Supreme Court on Wednesday vacated a stay on award of mining lease for
exploring gold and copper deposits worth billions of rupees of Reko Diq
in Chagai District of Balochistan. The
three-member bench of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice
Muhammad Sair Ali and Justice Ghulam Rabbani dictated an order with the
consent of parties, directing the Balochistan government to
expeditiously dispose of the pending plea of Tethyan Copper Company
(TCC) seeking renewal of lease agreement strictly in accordance with
Balochistan Mining Rules 2002 and without being influenced by the court
proceedings.
It said that the petitions over the issue would remain pending till final decision by the competent authority.At the outset of proceedings,
Advocate General Balochistan Amanullah Kinrani apprised the bench that
the provincial government would have no objection if the Court gave any
ruling.
Raza Kazim, counsel for Maulana Abdul Haq Baloch, a petitioner, and Khalid Anwar, counsel for TCC, sharing similar stance said that they would have no objection over Court’s directives.
Raza Kazim, however, requested that the instant petitions should be kept pending till final decision by the apex Court.
He said that they were not adverse to any company or party rather they wanted that justice should be achieved.
Tariq Asad, the petitioner, requested for permission to amend his plea by challenging the Mining Rules which was turned down.
Justice Sair Ali told tariq Asad that he should wait to file petitions over issues till dust was settled and the things appeared clearly.
The Chief Justice also told the Advocate General Balochistan that hard times had dawned on the nation but it should brave the situation while adhering to the rule of law and Constitution.
The bench was hearing of a number of identical pleas filed by Tariq Asad Advocate, Barrister Zafarullah of Pakistan Watan Party, 26 senators, Sangrani Tribe and others against award of mining and exploration contract to the Tethyan Copper Company (TCC), a Canadian consortium of Barrick Gold and Antofagasta Minerals, for exploring gold and copper in Reko Diq, in Chagai District of Balochistan.
On Tuesday, the bench had directed the parties concerned and the Balochistan government to take decision over the issue.
The bench had observed that the leasing licence granted to Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) had already expired on February 19 and the provincial government was the competent authority to decide its future. APP
Raza Kazim, counsel for Maulana Abdul Haq Baloch, a petitioner, and Khalid Anwar, counsel for TCC, sharing similar stance said that they would have no objection over Court’s directives.
Raza Kazim, however, requested that the instant petitions should be kept pending till final decision by the apex Court.
He said that they were not adverse to any company or party rather they wanted that justice should be achieved.
Tariq Asad, the petitioner, requested for permission to amend his plea by challenging the Mining Rules which was turned down.
Justice Sair Ali told tariq Asad that he should wait to file petitions over issues till dust was settled and the things appeared clearly.
The Chief Justice also told the Advocate General Balochistan that hard times had dawned on the nation but it should brave the situation while adhering to the rule of law and Constitution.
The bench was hearing of a number of identical pleas filed by Tariq Asad Advocate, Barrister Zafarullah of Pakistan Watan Party, 26 senators, Sangrani Tribe and others against award of mining and exploration contract to the Tethyan Copper Company (TCC), a Canadian consortium of Barrick Gold and Antofagasta Minerals, for exploring gold and copper in Reko Diq, in Chagai District of Balochistan.
On Tuesday, the bench had directed the parties concerned and the Balochistan government to take decision over the issue.
The bench had observed that the leasing licence granted to Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) had already expired on February 19 and the provincial government was the competent authority to decide its future. APP
