ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday held a telephonic conversation with his Irish counterpart Simon Harris, in which he admired Ireland’s recent decision to recognize Palestine as a state, Sharif’s office said.
The Pakistan prime minister felicitated his Irish counterpart on his assumption of office and remarked that his youth and dynamism would bring major changes to Ireland, according to a statement issued from Sharif’s office.
He noted that Pakistan had always advocated that a two-state solution, in accordance with relevant United Nations (UN) resolutions, was the only way to bring lasting peace to the Middle East.
“Ireland’s decision would send a message of hope and solidarity to the innocent Palestinians who were suffering Israel’s brutal atrocities,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.
“It would also go a long way in promoting the Palestine cause and would urge other countries to follow Ireland.”
The prime ministers of Ireland, Spain and Norway said on Wednesday they would formally recognize Palestine as a state on May 28, following recent recognitions by Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas. The additions have brought the total number of countries recognizing the Palestinian state to nearly 150.
PM Harris said that Ireland had taken a principled decision in consultation with other European allies because the extent of Israel’s military action in Gaza could no longer be condoned in any way.
“The Irish felt that this decision was necessary to promote normalization in the occupied territories,” he was quoted as saying.
Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to the just struggle of the Palestinian people and lauded the decision of the International Court of Justice to order Israel to stop its assault on Gaza and Rafah.
Pakistan does not recognize the state of Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
In recent months, the South Asian country has repeatedly raised the issue of Israel’s war on Gaza, launched last October, at the United Nations through its permanent representative, Ambassador Munir Akram.
Pakistan PM admires Ireland’s decision to recognize Palestine in phone call with counterpart
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Pakistan PM admires Ireland’s decision to recognize Palestine in phone call with counterpart
- Ireland, Spain and Norway this week said they would formally recognize Palestine as a state on May 28
- The additions have brought the total number of countries recognizing the Palestinian state to nearly 150
Pakistan to raise special force to guard Balochistan minerals as Barrick reviews Reko Diq project — official
- Barrick decision follows coordinated separatist attacks in several districts across Balochistan last Saturday that killed over 50 civilians and security personnel
- Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is the site of a decades-long insurgency by Baloch separatist groups who often attack security forces, foreigners
KARACHI: Pakistan has decided to boost intelligence network and raise a special force to guard the mineral-rich Balochistan province and its borders with Iran and Afghanistan, a provincial government official said on Saturday.
The development comes days after Canadian giant Barrick Mining Corporation said it planned to “immediately” begin a comprehensive review of all aspects of the multibillion-dollar Reko Diq copper-gold project in Balochistan.
Barrick decision followed coordinated separatist attacks by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) group in several districts across Balochistan last Saturday that killed 36 civilians and 22 security personnel. Authorities said they had killed 216 militants in follow-up operations.
Mineral-rich Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is the site of a decades-long insurgency waged by Baloch separatist groups who often attack security forces, foreigners and non-local Pakistanis and kidnap government officials.
“In light of the terrorists events, the provincial government in tandem with security forces is redesigning the entire security architecture,” Shahid Rind, an aide to Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti for media and political affairs, told Arab News.
“This includes raising of dedicated Frontier Corps for the mineral-bearing area, securing both borders i.e. Iran and Afghanistan.”
Arab News reached out to Pakistan’s information minister, Attaullah Tarar, but he did not respond to questions seeking comment on the matter.
The Balochistan government will also beef up intelligence network and work closely with mining companies in the region.
“The Balochistan government is extremely serious about foreign investment in the province and considers Reko Diq as the flag-bearer of foreign investment,” Rind said.
“The provincial government will do whatever is necessary to maintain that.”
The recent attacks have apparently alarmed international investors, especially Barrick, which is developing one of the world’s largest copper and gold mines in Balochistan.
“As we stated in our public documents, Barrick is undertaking a review of all aspects of the Reko Diq project, including with respect to the project’s security arrangements, development timetable and capital budget,” a Barrick spokesperson said in response to an Arab News email.
In a Feb. 5 statement issued with its fourth-quarter financial results, Barrick said the Reko Diq project “continued to advance site works in Q4, although in light of a recent increase in security incidents, management is currently reviewing all aspects of the project.”
“The review will begin immediately,” the Barrick spokesperson said. “An update will be provided when the review has been completed.”
Barrick owns 50 percent share in Reko Diq, along with three Pakistani federal state-owned enterprises that own 25 percent, while the Balochistan government has the remaining 25 percent share in the project.
The project is expected to begin production in 2028 and is central to Pakistan’s hopes of boosting mineral exports and attracting foreign investment into its underdeveloped mining sector. Despite heightened threats in Balochistan, development linked to the project continues in other parts of the country.
Barrick is expected to start investing in Pakistan’s port infrastructure soon as it prepares for exports.
Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Ltd. (PIBT), the country’s first dirty bulk terminal located at Port Qasim in Karachi, will host dedicated facilities to ship Reko Diq’s output.
PIBT CEO Sharique Azim Siddiqui told Arab News this week that Barrick would invest $150 million to build a shed and upgrade other dedicated facilities to handle shipments of copper-gold concentrate once Reko Diq production begins in 2028.
Barrick’s Pakistani subsidiary, Reko Diq Mining Company, last week signed an export agreement with PIBT under which the miner will export 800,000 tons of copper and gold concentrate through the terminal in the first phase, doubling the volume in the second phase, according to Siddiqui.
Revived in 2022 after years of legal disputes, the Reko Diq project is billed by the government as a transformative investment for Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province.
But persistent militant activity and rising attacks targeting security forces, state institutions and infrastructure have raised concerns among investors.
The latest separatist attacks, one of the deadliest flare-ups in Balochistan in recent years, have prompted large-scale security operations across the province as authorities continue their hunt for militant facilitators.
Siddiqui said the recent surge in militancy in Balochistan remains a concern for them.
“Security challenges have always been there in Pakistan. The investors do realize that, and we take it in our stride, and we hope for the best,” Siddiqui said.
“If there is no security for the cargo movement, then that’s going to hurt that (Reko Diq) project and hurt everyone.”
