Voices of concern raised over Reko Diq Project as local people complain its benefits didn’t reach them despite passage of 15 years

Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The Reko Diq mining project in Chagai district has generated concerns among the local people, their representatives, civil society and business community in Balochistan.
They believe that despite nearly 15 years of work on the project, the people of Balochistan have not received the expected economic or social benefits.
The Reko Diq project, one of the world’s largest copper and gold mining projects, has attracted significant international investment. However, many local communities argue that employment opportunities, development projects, and public facilities have not reached the people of the province. This has increased public concern, particularly among organizations and leaders working for the rights of Balochistan.
The issue was recently raised in the Balochistan Assembly by Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman, Chairman of the Haq Do Tehreek. During his speech, he stated that although activities at Reko Diq have continued for many years, the provincial assembly and the people of Balochistan have not been provided with complete information about the project’s investment, production, exports, revenue, royalty payments, profit-sharing, employment of local people, environmental impact, or social development programs.
Members from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and the Balochistan National Party (BNP) also supported the call for greater transparency and protection of provincial rights.
The proposed resolution urges the Federal Government and the Government of Balochistan to present all agreements, financial terms, and documents related to provincial rights before the Balochistan Assembly. It also demands the publication of a comprehensive White Paper within three months, covering investment, production, exports, revenue, royalties, taxes, profits, and the financial benefits received by the provincial government.
The resolution further calls for the establishment of a special parliamentary committee of the Balochistan Assembly to review every aspect of the project and submit recommendations. It also seeks a clear policy to ensure local employment, technical training, business opportunities for local companies, and greater participation of the people of Balochistan in the project.
Another important demand is that a fair share of the revenue generated from Reko Diq should be spent on education, healthcare, clean drinking water, infrastructure, and employment projects in Chagai and other underdeveloped districts of Balochistan. It also proposes that the project submit a progress report to the Balochistan Assembly every six months.
The resolution emphasizes that under the Constitution of Pakistan, the people of Balochistan have legitimate rights over the province’s natural resources. It states that the true success of the Reko Diq project should be measured by transparency, public participation, sustainable development, and the welfare of the local population.
Concerns about the project have also been voiced outside the provincial assembly. Representatives of the legal community at an event organized by the Quetta Bar Council expressed reservations about the lack of transparency and the limited benefits reaching local communities. Senior businessmen and industrialists from the Quetta Chamber of Commerce also highlighted the need for greater employment opportunities for local people and a fair distribution of the project’s economic benefits. Political observers believe that these growing concerns reflect increasing public demand for transparency, accountability, and meaningful local participation in one of Pakistan’s most important mining projects.