ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia has offered a 15 percent investment in the Reko Diq copper and gold mine project in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, according to Pakistani state-owned media on Saturday.
Reko Diq is considered one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold resources, primarily operated by Canada’s Barrick Gold, which holds a 50 percent stake in it.
The remaining stake is owned by three federal state-owned enterprises and the Balochistan provincial government, though Pakistan has also invited Saudi Arabia to invest in the project.
“Saudi Arabia has offered fifteen percent investment in Reko Diq Mining project,” the Radio Pakistan said in one of its reports. “The Kingdom has also offered grants to build road infrastructure around the Reko Diq project.”
“Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has approved the structure of the offer but the final decision has been left to the Cabinet Committee on Intergovernmental Transactions,” it added.
Pakistan set up the SIFC, a civil-military hybrid body, last year in June with the sole purpose of reviving the frail national economy, dented by low foreign exchange reserves, currency depreciation and record inflation.
Barrick Gold’s top official, Mark Bristow, has also acknowledged the Saudi interest in the project, saying his company would not dilute its equity.
However, he added that Barrick Gold would not oppose any decision by the Pakistan government to sell part of its stake to Saudia Arabia.
Radio Pakistan said the government in Islamabad expects up to $5 billion investment in the mining and agriculture sector by June next year.
Saudi Arabia offers 15% investment in Pakistan’s Reko Diq mining venture
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Saudi Arabia offers 15% investment in Pakistan’s Reko Diq mining venture
- Reko Diq in Pakistan’s southwest is considered one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold resources
- State-owned media says Pakistan expects up to $5 billion of Saudi investment in mining, agriculture by June 2025
Three Pakistani policemen killed in attack at police headquarters
- Militants storm police headquarters in district Bannu, say police
- Militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban claims responsibility for attack
PESHAWAR: At least three policemen were killed in northwest Pakistan when militants stormed a district police headquarters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday, a police source told Reuters.
The attack on the complex, which houses both the district police headquarters and a residential complex, was ongoing, the high-ranking police source said, adding that the assailants, who included suicide bombers, had been “pinned down” in the area.
Three assailants were killed by police, he added.
The source, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said three policemen were killed while resisting the assault on the Police Lines of District Bannu, which borders the restive North Waziristan tribal district on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack, a spokesperson for the group said.
The roads around the complex have been closed to traffic as security forces moved to neutralize the remaining attackers, the police source added.
Bannu is about 350 kilometers from Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, which is under strict security lockdown due to the arrival of Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday ahead of a regional leaders’ meeting this week.
Second batch of 61 Palestinian medical students leave for Pakistan to continue studies
- A total of 192 Palestinian medical students from war-torn Gaza will continue fully funded studies in Pakistani institutions
- Initiative launched through collaboration between Doctors of Rehman, Global Relief Trust and Al-Khidmat Foundation
ISLAMABAD: A second batch of 61 Palestinian medical students from Gaza out of 192 left Cairo on Monday to travel to Pakistan where they plan to continue their studies, the Pakistani embassy in Egypt said.
The second batch of Palestinian students left for Islamabad hours after the first batch arrived in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore from Cairo. The embassy said the Palestinian students will continue their studies in Pakistani medical universities on fully funded programs under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directions.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry announced in July that the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) will provide scholarships to over 100 Palestinian students so that they are able to continue their medical studies in Pakistan as Israel’s war wreaks havoc in the Middle East. The initiative is a collaboration between Doctors of Rehman, Global Relief Trust and leading Pakistani non-governmental organization, the Al-Khidmat Foundation.
“Under the directions of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and special efforts of Global Relief Trust, Doctors of Rahman, and Al-Khidmat Foundation, the second batch of 61 Palestinian students from Gaza left Cairo for Islamabad today,” Pakistan’s Embassy in Cairo said.
It said Pakistan embassy officials and the Al-Khidmat Foundation representatives facilitated the Palestinian students’ departure at the Cairo International Airport.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has killed over 42,000 people in Gaza through relentless bombardment despite ceasefire calls and angry protests in several countries around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that cases of meningitis, jaundice, impetigo, chickenpox and other upper respiratory tract infections have been recorded in Gaza. Almost 600,000 cases of acute watery diarrhea have been recorded due to lack of clean water and other causes, as well as other waste-borne diseases.
Several international media outlets have reported significant destruction of hospitals and universities in Gaza since October last year.
The WHO and other sources have documented severe damage to the area’s health care facilities, including the largest hospital Al-Shifa, which has been rendered non-functional due to extensive damage in the ongoing conflict.
There have also been widespread reports of substantial damage to educational institutions along with reports of deliberate targeting of Palestinian academics.
Pakistan steps up security ahead of regional leaders’ meeting
- Pakistan announces three-day holiday in Islamabad with schools, businesses shut
- Threat alert in country has been high especially after suicide attack targeting Chinese nationals
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s capital was under strict security lockdown starting Monday ahead of the arrival of Chinese Premier Li Qiang for a four-day bilateral visit and a heads-of-government gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) this week.
The government has announced a three-day public holiday in Islamabad, with schools and businesses shut, and large contingents of police and paramilitary forces deployed.
Pakistan army troops will be responsible for the security of the capital’s Red Zone, which will house most of the meetings and is also home to parliament and a diplomatic enclave, according to interior ministry.
The threat alert has been high in the South Asian nation ahead of the SCO summit meeting, especially after the killing of two Chinese engineers and shooting to death of 21 miners.
Tensions have mounted after jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan called for a protest on Oct. 15 to press for his release and agitate against the coalition government, following violent clashes between his party loyalists and security forces.
Islamabad has sought to curb all movement of Chinese nationals in the city, citing fears of violence from separatist militants.
The SCO’s 23rd meeting, which comprises nine full members including China, India, Iran and Russia, is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in Islamabad.
Prime Minister Li is undertaking a bilateral visit to Pakistan from Monday to Thursday, accompanied by senior officials, Pakistan’s foreign office said.
Li and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will lead their respective delegations to discuss economic and trade ties and cooperation under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $65 billion investment in the South Asian country under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Li is also likely to inaugurate the CPEC funded Gwadar International Airport in restive southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.
The SCO participants will be represented by the prime ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as the first vice president of Iran and external affairs minister of India, the foreign office said.
First batch of 27 Palestinian medical students arrive in Pakistan to continue studies
- Batch is part of 192 Palestinian students who will continue fully funded studies in Pakistani universities
- Initiative is a collaborative effort by Al-Khidmat Foundation, Doctors of Rahman and Global Relief Trust
KARACHI: The first batch of 27 Palestinian medical students out of a total of 192 arrived in Lahore from Cairo on Monday to continue their studies in the country, a leading charitable organization involved in the initiative said.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry announced in July that Islamabad will provide scholarships to over 100 Palestinian students enabling them to continue their medical studies in Pakistan, as Israel’s war wreaks havoc in the Middle East. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has killed over 42,000 people in Gaza through relentless bombardment despite ceasefire calls and angry protests in several countries.
The Palestinian students will continue their medical and dental studies in Pakistani institutions through fully funded programs. The initiative is a collaborative effort by the Global Relief Trust, Doctors of Rahman, and leading Pakistani charity organization, the Al-Khidmat Foundation.
“Twenty-seven more Palestinian students from Gaza arrived in Pakistan to continue their education,” Al-Khidmat Foundation said in a press release. Pictures showed Palestinian students poising with airport officials after their arrival.
“Welcome Palestine students,” read a large banner carried by the airport officials.
Al-Khidmat Foundation representatives and the Pakistani embassy in Cairo facilitated the students’ departure from Cairo International Airport on Sunday, Al-Khidmat Foundation said.
“During the first phase, a total of 192 Palestinian students will arrive in Pakistan through various flights and continue their medical and dental studies in Pakistan through the collaboration of Al-Khidmat Foundation, Doctors of Rahman and the Global Relief Trust,” the statement added.
Several international media outlets have reported significant destruction of hospitals and universities in Gaza since October last year.
The World Health Organization and other sources have documented severe damage to the area’s health care facilities, including the largest hospital Al-Shifa, which has been rendered non-functional due to extensive damage in the ongoing conflict.
There have also been widespread reports of substantial damage to educational institutions along with reports of deliberate targeting of Palestinian academics.
Pakistan to re-use Multan pitch for second England Test
- England scored mammoth 823-7 in first Test on pitch severely criticized for batting-friendly nature
- Pakistan skipper Shan Masood, Head Coach Jason Gillespie inspected pitch during practice on Sunday
MULTAN: Under-pressure Pakistan are set to re-use the controversial Multan pitch used for the first Test against England for the second match starting Tuesday, in a rare move as they seek to level the series.
England scored the fourth highest Test score of 823-7 to inflict an innings and 47-run defeat on the home side on a pitch severely criticized for its batting-friendly nature.
Pakistan scored 556 in their first innings.
Sources in the Pakistan camp confirmed the same first Test pitch will be used on Tuesday.
“We have decided to use the same pitch of the first Test and it is watered and being dried for the use,” said a source who did not wish to be named.
Industrial-sized fans were used at both ends to dry the pitch while both teams practiced at the ground on Sunday.
Pakistan skipper Shan Masood and head coach Jason Gillespie inspected the pitch and had a lengthy discussion, while England head coach Brendon McCullum also had a long look.
The ICC playing conditions allow re-use of a pitch for successive Tests, but it could result in getting a poor rating if the surface does not play well.
Pakistan has a history of flat pitches, with former Australian great Dennis Lillee denouncing a pitch as “bowlers’ graveyard” back in 1980.
Two years ago, the Rawalpindi stadium pitch was deemed “below average” by the International Cricket Council, after 1,187 runs were scored in a Pakistan-Australia Test for the loss of only 14 wickets.
But the ICC rescinded the one demerit point after the Pakistan Cricket Board appealed against the decision.
