By our correspondent
KARACHI: The government has decided to strengthen its intelligence network and raise a special force to guard Balochistan and its borders with Iran and Afghanistan, a provincial official said.
The move, reported by The News citing Arab News, comes days after Canadian miner Barrick Mining Corporation said it would immediately review all aspects of the multibillion-dollar Reko Diq copper-gold project in Balochistan. Barrick’s decision followed coordinated attacks by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) last Saturday, which killed 36 civilians and 22 security personnel across several districts.
“In light of these terrorist events, the provincial government, in tandem with security forces, is redesigning the entire security architecture,” Shahid Rind, an aide to Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, told Arab News. “This includes raising a dedicated Frontier Corps for the mineral-rich area and securing both borders, with Iran and Afghanistan,” he added.
The Balochistan government also plans to expand its intelligence network and work closely with mining companies. “The provincial government is extremely serious about foreign investment in the province and considers Reko Diq as the flag-bearer of foreign investment,” Rind said.
Barrick owns 50% of the project, with three Pakistani federal state-owned enterprises holding 25%, and the Balochistan government the remaining 25%. The mine, revived in 2022 after years of legal disputes, is expected to start production in 2028. It is central to Pakistan’s strategy to boost mineral exports and attract foreign investment.
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