Wednesday, January 27, 2021
How Pakistan lost $6 billion on a gold mine
By FM SHAKIL
Pakistan’s US and France based real estate assets are at risk of confiscation as a United Kingdom court moves to enforce an arbitration tribunal decree that fined it US$5.9 billion for retracting a 28-year old gold exploration contract with foreign mining companies. This month, a British Virgin Islands’ court-ordered to establish a value on the Roosevelt Hotel in New York and the Scribe Hotel in Paris as part of an attachment process of the properties owned by Pakistan International Airlines Investment Ltd (PIAIL), a state-run company officially registered in the British Virgin Islands.In July 2019, the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), a World Bank-run arbitration tribunal, hit Pakistan with a $5.9 billion fine for revoking in 2011 a gold-cum-mineral exploration license held by Tethyan Copper Company (TCC), a joint venture of Barrick Gold Corporation of Australia and Antofagasta PLC of Chile. TCC had sought damages worth $8.5 billion for the premature termination of the Chagai Hills Exploration Joint Venture Agreement, a contract originally signed between Pakistan’s Balochistan provincial government and Australian mining company Broken Hill Property (BHP) in 1993 for rights to the Reko Diq mine. BHP later sold its stake to TCC, which administered the gold and minerals mines from 2008 to the time legal proceeding started against the termination of the agreement. Known for its huge gold and copper reserves, Reko Diq mine is estimated to have the world’s fifth-largest gold deposit. Situated in a small desert area of Chagai in northwestern Balochistan, the mine is close to the border of Iran and Afghanistan. Its annual production is estimated at 200,000 tons of copper and 250,000 ounces of gold derived from 600,000 tons of concentrate. The TCC’s assessment estimates the annual profit from the mines at about $1.14 billion for copper and $2.5 billion for gold, totaling $3.64 billion annually. The TCC’s calculation puts the total profit over the 55-year life of the mine at $200 billion, which is much less than independent estimates which put the figure as high as $500 billion. When TCC approached Pakistan’s High Court In November 2019 to enforce the tribunal’s award, Pakistani authorities sprang into action to get a stay on the whopping fine, which represented nearly 2% of Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) at the time.“The government will pursue the proceedings initiated by the company in any jurisdiction and the government reaffirms its commitment to protecting national assets wherever they may be located,” a communique issued from the attorney general’s office said.The tribunal, during proceedings on the dispute between Pakistan and TCC, decided the case in favor of the Australian company, imposing a $4.08 billion penalty and $1.87 billion interest fine on Pakistan. The full details of the case are yet to be released by the tribunal.TCC’s website reveals that the Reko Diq Mining Project in Pakistan’s restive province of Balochistan had initiated to build and operate a world-class copper and gold open-pit mine at a cost of about $3.3 billion. The 1998 agreement with Pakistan had mandated the company to mine the Reko Diq’s gold and minerals deposits throughout the 55-year life of the reserves. However, the project hit a snag in November 2011 when the Balochistan mining authority revoked TCC’s mining rights on the grounds that the company had secured the contract in a “non-transparent” manner. The government claimed that experts had found the TCC’s feasibility report unsatisfactory, alleging that it did not contain any details about the actual processing of mined precious metals. The government, TCC claimed, was obliged to manage and finance the processing refinery for the mined metals, which the company had not budgeted for the purpose. By that time, the company had already invested some $220 million in Reko Diq’s mine. The Australian mining company first sought arbitration against the mining authorities’ decision in 2012. The World Bank arbitration tribunal decided the case against Pakistan in 2017, with the multi-billion dollar fine imposed subsequently in 2019. Local Pakistan courts see the situation differently. The Supreme Court of Pakistan, in January 2013, declared the Chagai Hills Exploration Joint Venture Agreement void because it was ruled to conflict with the country’s laws. A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by then chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, annulled the agreement. Months after Justice Iftikhar’s ruling, his son Dr Arsalan Iftikhar was made the vice chairman of the Board of Investment of Balochistan (BIB). Arsalan, who was a medical practitioner, was tasked with luring investment to the Reko Diq project. Syed Naveed Qamar, a Pakistan Peoples’ Party’s senior parliamentarian and a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), told Asia Times, “we believe there is nothing wrong with the contracts or its execution, but the problem started when the judiciary stepped in and the Supreme Court declared the agreements void.” Ironically, the government’s accountability and investigation agencies, which miss no opportunity to move against political opponents, opted against investigating what some saw as one of the shadiest deals in Pakistan’s history. Analysts and observers claim that “vested interests” within the political and military hierarchy have managed to hide who was truly responsible for the colossal national loss caused by the tribunal decision. Qamar said that the parliament sensed as early as January 2018 that Pakistan was likely to be hit by a huge fine in the Reko Diq mining case, due to the mishandling of successive Balochistan provincial governments. The PAC, he said, had questioned the authority of provincial governments in allowing changes to the ownership of the Australian company, notwithstanding that the original Chagai Hills Joint Venture Exploration Agreement did not have such a provision. He said that the secretary of mines of Balochistan, while briefing the PAC in 2018, had informed that the ICSID proceedings were in a “quantum stage” while several reports and financial models indicated that a ruling on the damages was imminent. “When we approached the relevant ministries for details of the Riko Diq and other such cases, where arbitration tribunals issued awards against Pakistan, the authorities did not come up with a convincing response and tried to evade the information,” he maintained. Qamar said that the PAC had sought to identify the individuals and institutions responsible for the losses based on poor or compromised decision-making. For now, the Pakistani state will shoulder the huge cost, including through possible asset seizures abroad. https://asiatimes.com/2021/01/how-pakistan-lost-6-billion-on-a-gold-mine/World Bank tribunal decision in favor of foreign miners could see seizure of Pakistan state property assets in US and France
#Balochistan: Where Even The Dead Are ‘Abducted’ – OpEd
By Nilesh KunwarThe news of Pakistani authorities taking away mortal remains of a deceased Balochi lady dissident living in self-exile abroad that had been brought back to her native place for burial may scandalise many, but not the people of Balochistan. Growing up seeing how innocent people who are brazenly abducted by Pakistani security forces either disappearing for good or resurfacing as battered corpses dumped by roadsides or buried in unmarked graves has inured them to tragedies of all sorts. So, being persecuted by the state and abandoned by the international community, for Balochis, there’s nothing unusual about the corpse of one of their own being ‘abducted’ by Pakistan’s security forces! The ‘abducted’ corpse was that of Karima Baloch and this incident is the latest manifestation of Pakistan’s institutionalised persecution of Balochis. Resident of Tump in Kech district of Balochistan, 37-year-old Karmia was a vocal critic of Pakistani army’s repulsive “abduct, kill and dump” policy in Balochistan. Though a peaceful campaigner, she was forced into self-exile in 2015, after authorities filed fabricated terrorism charges against her. After moving to Canada, Karima continued her campaign against the brutal and illegal methods being used by Pakistani security forces to intimidate Balochis. Karima’s death aroused suspicions for more than one reason. Firstly, though she had drowned, there was no reason for this strong-willed activist to have committed suicide; nor was she so immature as to indulge in any puerile act of bravado that could result in accidental drowning. Secondly, by tweeting that it was “aware of heightened community and media interest surrounding a missing person [Karima Baloch] investigation,” Toronto Police Service has unwittingly admitted that there were reasonable grounds to suspect foul play-because if it was an accidental death or suicide, there wouldn’t have been any “heightened community and media interest” in this case. However, Toronto Police arriving at the conclusion that it was “a non-criminal death” and that “no foul play is suspected” within just a few hours of Karima’s dead body being discovered, clearly indicates an inexplicable haste to ‘close’ the case. Moreover, since “non-criminal” death perse implies that “no foul play is suspected,” where was the need for Toronto Police to take the trouble of repeating the obvious? Karima’s name being included in BBC’s 2016 list of ‘100 most inspirational women’ clearly indicates that her voice against Pakistan army’s oppression in Balochistan resonated across the globe. To make matters even more embarrassing for both Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Karima had in 2016, sent a message to Pakistani establishment’s latest bete noire Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, “We appeal to you that as our brother, you speak about the genocide and war crimes in Baloch on international forums and become the voice of the sisters of Baloch. We will fight this on our own, we just want you to become the voice of our struggle.” So, one doesn’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce that those being pilloried by Karima would like her voice to be silenced. Ottawa would have certainly been aware of her increased vulnerability, especially after the dead body of another Balochi dissident journalist named Sajid Hussain living in self-exile in Sweden was fished out of a canal in March 2020, but surprisingly, no security was provided to Karima. So, could the overplay of words by Toronto Police to emphatically rule out foul play in Karima’s death be indicative of an attempt at concealing Ottawa’s humungous failure to protect the life of a dissident, who after fleeing her homeland to escape political persecution and possible extermination, was sanguine that she would be safe in Canada? Changing tracks, let’s for the sake of discussion accept verdict of Toronto Police that there was no foul play in Karima’s death. So, if it was really a case of a suicide or an accident, then what explains the edgy behaviour of Pakistani authorities in not allowing relatives of Karima to receive her mortal remains at Karachi airport? Why was her body initially taken away in an ambulance duly escorted by Pakistan army vehicles and thereafter returned to her relatives hours later? Lastly, if there was really no involvement of Pakistan’s deep state in her death, then why was curfew imposed in her home town and mobile services snapped for the duration of her funeral? The case of Sajid Hussain and Karima Baloch have many similarities. Firstly, both victims were vocal critics of ongoing extra judicial killings and human rights violations by Pakistani security forces in Balochistan. Secondly, both were falsely framed on terrorism related charges, forcing them to flee Balochistan and seek asylum abroad. Thirdly, while in self-imposed exile, both continued exposing Pakistan army’s excesses in Balochistan. Fourthly, both refused to be cowed down by threats and ended up dying by drowning [?]. Fifthly, both ‘drowned’ when they were alone and what’s even more surprising is that there were no eyewitnesses! Lastly [and most importantly], while the police categorically ruled out foul play in both cases, it failed to give any convincing reasons to substantiate the suicide or accident theories! So, if either or both the deceased had decided to commit suicide, then why did they take the trouble to go into the countryside to end their lives? Next, if both were unfortunate victims of an accident, then what explains Sajid going picnicking to a canal when he had gone to Upsala for picking up keys of his new apartment in which he was due to shift shortly alongwith his wife? Similarly, how could Karima ‘accidentally’ drown in waist-deep water and that too at a place she regularly frequented, especially as this spot has security railings to prevent any accidental fall into the water? Too many questions remain unanswered, but thanks to Toronto Police having determined that Karima Baloch’s death was “non-criminal” and that “no foul play is suspected,” one can sleep blissfully without suffering pangs of a guilt-ridden conscience. https://www.eurasiareview.com/26012021-balochistan-where-even-the-dead-are-abducted-oped/
Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expresses gratitude to those who sent congratulatory messages on the wedding ceremony of his sister Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari
PPP Chairman expressed regret over the situation and said that he could not invite many dignitaries to the wedding due to SOPs of coronavirus. He further said that wedding receptions will be held in Islamabad, Lahore and Larkana also in which more dignitaries, friends and PPP family members will be invited to share the joys of the auspicious occasion.
https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/24331/
’بختاور کو مہندی کا ڈیزائن اتنا پسند آیا کہ پہلے ٹپ دی اور بعد میں بل‘
امر گرُڑو
سابق وزیراعظم بے نظیر بھٹو اور سابق صدر آصف زرداری کی صاحبزادی کی رسم حنا سے قبل ان کے ہاتھوں پر مہندی لگانے والی آرٹسٹ ام کلثوم نے بتایا کہ یہ ڈیزائن بنانے میں انہیں پانچ گھنٹے لگے۔
اکستان کی سابق وزیراعظم بے نظیر بھٹو اور پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے موجودہ شریک چیئرمین آصف علی زرداری کی بڑی صاحبزادی بختاور بھٹو زرداری کی رسم حنا کے لیے انہیں مہندی لگانے والی آرٹسٹ کا کہنا ہے کہ بختاور کو ان کی لگائی ہوئی مہندی اتنی پسند آئی کہ پہلے انہیں ٹپ دی اور پھر بل ادا کیا۔
بختاور بھٹو زرداری کی شادی کی تقریبات کا آغاز ہوگیا ہے اور اس سلسلے میں رسم حنا بدھ (27 جنوری) کو ہے۔ بختاور کو مہندی لگانے کے لیے آرٹسٹ ام کلثوم حذیفہ لاٹھی کا انتخاب کیا گیا۔
انڈپینڈنٹ اردو سے گفتگو میں ام کلثوم نے بتایا: ’یہ ڈیزائن میں نے پہلے سے نہ تو سوچا تھا اور نہ ہی بنایا تھا۔ جب میں وہاں پہنچی تو بختاور نے کہا کہ ڈیزائن بے شک جیسا بھی ہو لیکن اس میں اجرک کے ڈیزائن کا کچھ حصہ ضرور ہو تو میں نے یہی سوچ کر یہ ڈیزائن بنایا، جس کے درمیان میں اجرک کا کچھ ڈیزائن بھی ہے۔‘
ام کلثوم نے مزید بتایا کہ مہندی کا یہ ڈیزائن بنانے میں انہیں پانچ گھنٹے لگے۔ ’ہم نے منگل کی شام کو تین بجے ڈیزائن بنانا شروع کیا اور رات کو نو بجے تک مکمل ہوا۔‘
انہوں نے مزید بتایا: ’جب میں نے بختاور کے ہاتھوں پر مہندی مکمل کی تو وہ بہت خوش ہوئیں اور انہوں نے اپنے پرس میں سے پیسے نکال کر پہلے مجھے ٹپ دی اور بعد میں بل ادا کیا۔‘
(تصویر: بختاور بھٹو زرداری انسٹاگرام)
ایک سوال کے جواب میں ام کلثوم نے بتایا کہ انہوں نے بختاور بھٹو سے مہندی کے اتنے ہی پیسے لیے جو وہ کسی بھی دوسرے کسٹمر سے لیتی ہیں۔
’ان کے ہاتھوں پر مہندی کا ڈیزائن بناتے ہوئے مجھے فخر ہو رہا تھا کہ میں اتنی بڑی شخصیت کو مہندی لگا رہی ہوں۔ بختاور اتنی بڑی شخصیت ہونے کے باوجود اعلیٰ ظرف ہیں۔‘
ایک سوال پر کہ مہندی لگاتے ہوئے وہ کیا سوچ رہی تھیں؟ ام کلثوم نے بتایا: ’میں اس وقت کچھ بھی نہیں سوچ رہی تھی۔ میری پوری توجہ ڈیزائن پر تھی کہ کہیں وہ خراب نہ ہوجائے۔
ڈیزائن میں کنول کا پھول بنانے سے متعلق سوال پر انہوں نے بتایا: ’اس کا کوئی خاص مطلب نہیں، بس مجھے لگا کہ ڈیزائن میں یہ ہونا چاہیے تو بنا دیا۔‘
جب ان سے پوچھا گیا کہ ان کے پاس بختاور بھٹو کے مہندی ڈیزائن کی تصاویر ہیں تو انہوں نے کہا: ’سیکیورٹی کے باعث میرا فون بلاول ہاؤس کے گیٹ پر ہی رکھ دیا گیا تھا، اس لیے تصاویر نہیں لے سکی۔ بختاور نے خود تصاویر لی تھیں اور وہ بعد میں مجھے بھیجیں گی۔‘
واضح رہے کہ گذشتہ برس 27 نومبر کو بختاور بھٹو کی منگنی پاکستانی نژاد دبئی کے صنعت کار محمود چوہدری سے بلاول ہاؤس کراچی میں ہوئی تھی۔ منگنی کے فوری بعد ہی ان کی شادی کے کارڈز بھی سوشل میدیا پر سامنے آگئے تھے۔
بختاور بھٹو زرداری کو یہ اعزاز بھی حاصل ہے کہ وہ وزارت عظمیٰ کے عہدے پر براجمان کسی خاتون وزیراعظم کے ہاں پیدا ہونے والی دنیا کی پہلی بچی تھیں۔
https://www.independenturdu.com/node/58466
افسوس، بہت سے معززین کو شادی کی دعوت نہ دے سکے، بلاول بھٹو
بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے اپنی بہن بختاور بھٹو زرداری کی شادی کے باعث سیاسی سرگرمیاں معطل کر رکھی ہیں۔
انہوں نے سماجی رابطے کی ویب سائٹ پر جاری بیان میں بختاور بھٹو کی شادی پر مختلف طبقات کی طرف سے مبارک باد دیے جانے پر تشکر کا اظہار کیا اور ساتھ ہی وضاحت بھی پیش کی۔
پی پی چیئرمین نے کہا کہ کورونا وائرس کے پیش نظر شادی کی مختلف تقریبات میں بہت کم مہمانوں کو مدعو کیا ہے۔
اُن کا کہنا تھاکہ مجھے افسوس ہے کورونا ایس او پیز کے سبب بہت سے معزز افراد کو شادی میں شرکت کی دعوت نہیں دے سکے ہیں۔
بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے مزید کہاکہ بختاور بھٹو زرداری کی شادی کے بعد اسلام آباد، لاہور اور لاڑکانہ میں تقریبات کا انعقاد کیا جائے گا۔
انہوں نے یہ بھی کہا کہ دیگر شہروں میں ہونے والی شادی کی تقریبات میں معززین، دوستوں اور پی پی فیملی کے افراد شریک ہوسکیں گے۔
گزشتہ روز اپوزیشن اتحاد کے چیئرمین فضل الرحمٰن نے بختاور بھٹو زرداری کی شادی سے متعلق سوال پر بتایا تھا کہ آصف زرداری صاحب نے مجھے بیٹی کی شادی میں مدعو نہیں کیا ہے۔
https://jang.com.pk/news/877749
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