ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have deployed more than 100,000 police and paramilitary forces at mosques and marketplaces across the country ahead of the massive Eid Al-Fitr holiday, officials said Tuesday.
Eid Al-Fitr will be celebrated in Pakistan on Wednesday, subject to sighting of the moon. The three-day holiday marks the end of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month of fasting.
Though attacks during Eid are rare in Pakistan, intelligence agencies alerted the interior ministry that militants could use the holiday to target civilians, government and military buildings, and compounds housing police, officials said.
The country has witnessed a surge in militant attacks in recent years, mostly claimed by Pakistani Taliban and separatists who mainly operate from the southwestern Balochistan province.
Security was also being beefed up at places where high-profile personalities are expected to say their Eid prayers.
Abdullah Khan, a senior defense analyst and managing director of the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, said he had no specific information about possible attacks, but “militants can hit soft targets, as people in a large number say their Eid prayer at mosques and open places.”
On Tuesday, people shopped as usual at various markets, with women buying bangles, jewelry and clothes for themselves and their children.
More than 52,000 police were being deployed at mosques as part of a security plan under which about 8,000 police were sent to sensitive places and markets in the provincial capital Lahore, according to a statement issued by Punjab police.
Punjab is the country’s most populous province and the home city of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was elected in March by lawmakers in Pakistan’s National Assembly despite protests and allegations that the election was rigged.
Pakistan deploys over 100,000 police and paramilitary forces ahead of Eid Al-Fitr
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Pakistan deploys over 100,000 police and paramilitary forces ahead of Eid Al-Fitr
- Security has been beefed up at places where high-profile personalities are expected to offer their Eid prayers
- The country has witnessed a surge in militant attacks in recent years, mostly claimed by Pakistani Taliban
Pakistan, Canada explore deeper mineral investment as Reko Diq mine project advances
- Canadian envoy cites Reko Diq as model for expanding Pakistan-Canada mineral cooperation
- Islamabad pitches vast copper-gold reserves as economic lifeline after years of stalled development
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Canada are exploring deeper cooperation in the minerals and energy sectors as Islamabad accelerates efforts to revive long-delayed mining projects, including the Reko Diq copper-gold mine, one of the world’s largest undeveloped mineral deposits, according to a statement from Pakistan’s Information Ministry this week.
The Reko Diq copper-gold project is one of the world’s largest undeveloped mineral deposits, with estimated reserves of around 5.9 billion tons of ore containing both copper and gold. The project, in Balochistan’s Chagai District, was stalled for over a decade amid international legal disputes but was reconstituted in 2022 with Canadian mining giant Barrick Gold holding a 50 percent stake alongside Pakistani federal and provincial partners.
Recent steps toward implementation include multilateral financing arrangements involving international banks and institutions, and major equipment contracts, such as a $440 million deal with Japan’s Komatsu for mining machinery, signaling readiness for construction phase activities starting in 2026. Last month, Washington approved $1.25 billion in US Export-Import Bank financing for Reko Diq, with the package also expected to unlock up to $2 billion in US equipment and service exports for the project.
First production is expected by late 2028 under the revived partnership, with estimates suggesting annual output of around 200,000 tons of copper and significant gold yields once operations scale up. This project is central to Islamabad’s strategy to position mining as a pillar of economic recovery, as it hosts international mineral investment forums, seeks partnerships with Western and Gulf countries, and signs cooperation agreements on critical minerals, including with the United States. Officials see large-scale mining projects as potential drivers of exports, foreign exchange earnings and job creation in a country grappling with debt pressures and slow growth.
Against this backdrop, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik met Canada’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Tarik Ali Khan, on Wednesday to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in mining and energy, the information ministry said.
“The success of Barrick Gold at Reko Diq is a strong example to build upon Pakistan–Canada mineral cooperation,” the high commissioner said, according to the statement, adding that Canada was actively working to encourage more Canadian companies to engage with Pakistan’s mining sector.
The envoy said Canada’s ministry of natural resources was ready to support cooperation with Pakistan, noting that Canadian expertise in large-scale mining, environmental standards and community development could play a role as Pakistan opens up its mineral sector. He also said Canada was encouraging participation in the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum to attract global investors.
The Canadian high commissioner also invited Pakistan to participate in the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention in 2026, one of the world’s largest mining investment forums, calling it an opportunity to showcase Pakistan’s mineral potential to international investors.
Petroleum Minister Malik welcomed Canadian interest, saying technical expertise and intellectual capital would help strengthen Pakistan’s systems and boost investor confidence, particularly among international mining companies, the statement said.
Both sides also discussed cooperation in the energy sector, with Canada offering technical assistance, according to the statement.
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