Government taking measures to provide all possible facilities to investors: PM Shehbaz  

By Abdul Hai Aryan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that immense opportunities existed for investment in mining, information technology, energy, communication, and infrastructure sectors in Pakistan and the government was taking measures to provide all possible facilities to investors.
The prime minister was talking to a delegation of Barrick Reko Diq Mining Company led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Bristow on Monday in Islamabad. Mark Bristow informed the prime minister about the progress on the mining project. The PM said many areas of Pakistan especially Balochistan were rich in mineral resources and the government was working on a priority basis to fully utilize these natural resources.
The recent agreement on the Reko Dik project would be beneficial for both sides, he said, adding Reko Diq project would be a game changer for Balochistan and would usher a new era of progress.
The PM said a project support team should be formed for the execution of the Reko Diq project and directed that all relevant departments should fulfill their responsibility for the implementation of the project.
The prime minister was told that seventy percent people working on the project belonged to Balochistan. It was informed that the mining company had established a school in Reko Diq with the cooperation of the community development committee in the area. Besides, steps would be taken for imparting professional and higher level education to the youth of the area so that they could get jobs.
It was told in the briefing, work was continuing on providing facilities of clean drinking water and health in the area and alternative energy was being used in the mining project.
Shehbaz Sharif appreciated the mining company for its welfare projects to fulfill its corporate social responsibility.
Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Advisor to PM Ahad Cheema, State Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik, Special Assistant to PM Jehanzeb Khan, and high-ranking officers attended the meeting.
In the meanwhile, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Federal Cabinet has approved as a part of Reko Diq deal settlement to provide 6 billion, 23 crore, 83 lakh, 58 thousand, 879 rupees as mark-up on the short-term financial facility of 65 billion rupees to National Bank of Pakistan.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting of the Cabinet was held on Monday under the chairmanship of Finance Minister and Revenue Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar.