The underhand dirty dealings of the government concerning the wealth of Pakistan and its future generations is being traded in a mercenary deal to secure the future of the offspring of just one clan who are already enjoying the life of Maharajas at the expense of the entire Pakistani youth, especially the Baloch.
The billions of dollars worth of gold, copper and lithium rich mines at Reko Diq in Balochistan is attracting attention of international mining companies. It has been revealed that one such company has managed to get its evil hands on it by just throwing a rather juicy bone towards the Pakistani leaders who have proved, beyond doubt, that the welfare of either Pakistan or its public bears no significance for them, exemplified clearly by Bob Woodward as he quotes Zardari on the issue of innocent deaths as Americans were given the green signal by asserting Collateral damage worries you Americans. It does not worry me. (Obamas Wars; p20).
A report in a daily newspaper on the entire shady scheme by the leaders in Islamabad gave rise to a subsequent debate on the subject that had hitherto been concealed. The entire nation endorses the fact, as asserted by the media, that the Supreme Court needs to intervene and take notice, as well as control, of the issue of our greatest asset, which is better left unearthed than be swindled and robbed away like the rest of our resources.
Keep in mind a similar situation in Chamalang, in Balochistan, where a feud between local tribes had prevented mining in the Chamalang coal mines that are Asias largest coal fields for more than 30 years as the government, despite all efforts, remained unable to resolve the situation. The army was thus called to take things in its hands and one of the army’s first big development efforts was a deal brokered between two warring tribes to reopen the mine in March 2007 which has produced more than $70 million worth of coal and employs about 70,000 people. It split the proceeds from the mines between the federal and provincial governments and funded a program that has paid for the education of more than 4,000 Baloch students by reconstructing hundreds of schools, health clinics and mosques and stepped up local recruiting into both the army and police.
I would like to suggest that the Reko Diq mines also be put in the care of the army so that both the state and the people could benefit from it.
AYAANA UMAR
Islamabad
