Islamabad, 27 March 2023 (APP)

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday said 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 Riko Diq Mining Company led by its chief executive officer Mark Bristow. 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 priority basis for fully utilizing these natural resources.

The recent agreement on the Riqo Dik project would be beneficial for both sides, he said adding Riko Diq project would be a game changer for Balochistan and would usher in a new era of progress. The PM said a project support team should be formed for execution of the Riko Diq project and directed that all relevant departments should fulfill their responsibility for 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 Riko 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 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. He invited the company to work with the government to establish Danish Schools in Balochistan.

Present on the occasion were Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Advisor to PM Ahad Cheema, State Minister for Petroleum Musadiq Malik, Special Assistant to PM Jehanzeb Khan and high ranking officers.