Baluchistan-Reko Diq: A Blaze of Global Resources War Soon after assuming his office 3rd time, newly elected prime minister, Nawaz Sharif visited Beijing, in a hope to attract Chinese direct investment in devastated energy sector to cope the grave energy crisis, which has virtually brought Pakistan to a standstill position. During his visit he also signed multiple of MOUs of various mega power generation and infrastructure development projects, which potentially could facilitate Chinese with a business corridor –starting from Chinese border down to Pakistani port city: Gwadar, situated in proximity of Arabian Gulf nations. Back at Islamabad airport, he claimed his tour a great success. Forecasting the potential benefits of Sino-Pak joint ventures in near future, Sharif elaborated his strategy of economic partnership with Chinese: “Game Changer” in the Region. And prior to his visit, Pakistan officially announced its decision of handing over the Gwadar Prot operation to Chinese company. These were the clear signals that Pakistan is seriously looking toward East strategically. Soon after his China’s visit British and American high ranking official visited Pakistan and expressed their willingness to work with Pakistan to rebuild its crippling economy. Sharif’s “Game Changer” philosophy not only alerted diplomatic circles of the Islamabad, but also intrigued the media pundits. Electronic and print media started tossing the probing questions. Main theme of questions was, what Pakistan will offer to Chinese in response to huge acclaimed Chinese investment? Some have started speculating that Sharif government will compensate Chinese with juicy mineral projects like Reko Diq on soft terms. Sensing the omen us signs in the air Bloch nationalist parties of Baluchistan have started condemning the notion strongly. They have threatened federal government to refrain from entering into any such deal, referring the murky Pak-China Saindak: copper-gold mining extraction deal of 2002, by Musharraf regime, which according to them, have deprived Bloch masses from the benefits of their mineral wealth. Some have criticized, that proposed mega coal fired power generation projects which potentially could create grave environmental issues. Some have criticized that offering China, project like Reko diq will be great disappointment, because Chinese have already squeezed much from Saindak copper mine playing smart and Baluchistan has got nothing out of its mineral wealth. So if once again Chinese plays smart and get the mining rights of Reko diq at throw away price, both Pakistan and Baluchistan will be a big loser in all respect. Evolving scenario is portraying the vivid picture of global resources war. Beyond doubts, idea behind so called Afghan jihad of 80’s at first stage and so called “war on terror and Islamic terrorism” on second stage are trade mark of the ongoing resources wars. And prime battle fields are South- Central Asia and Middle East. With the disappearance of USSR from global map in 1992, world’s most commonly exercised economic system is Capitalism. Main theme of Capitalist philosophy is exploitation of human as well as natural resources, but especially of weak and poor nations. Reko diq-Copper and Gold mine project is a typical example of ruthless exploitation of natural resources of poor nations at the hands of powerful (MNC) multinational corporations. How Capitalism exploit? Fundamentally, it works through an organized network of corruption, for buying men/women in power and authority, either financially, morally, ethically or emotionally. And this phenomenon is at work both in developed and poor nation with the exception of societal norms. Will it not be interesting to probe controversial multibillion dollar Reko-Diq Copper-Gold project as a test case of Capitalist exploitation, in the light of supreme court decision of dated Jan,7, 2013, walking over mysterious tracks of its murky initial deals for exploration and site development contracts? “In its ruling, a three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, stated that the agreement reached on July 23, 1993 was in conflict with the laws of the country.” This was the shake foundation, over which Tethyan was planning to build huge structure of a fraudulent mega business to rob the world’s 5th largest Copper-Gold mining deposits, acquiring its extraction right in 2011 by paying peanuts to Baluchistan government and by bribing and pressurizing the corrupt, politician, bureaucrats and so called technocrats. Height of Tethyan forgery could well be ascertained from the fact that it refused to present actual feasibility reports before Apex court describing those, confidential and beyond the scope of petition! Reko Diq appeared over global mineral resources map when Australian mining giant BHP landed in Pakistan in its endeavor to enter into deal with Baluchistan government in July 1993. In 1996 BHP and BDA entered into a joint venture with 75% and 25% shares respectively for the time period up to 1999. During this time BHP/Tethyan discovered the existence of huge copper-gold deposits in Reko-Diq. After the new National Mineral Policy and the enactment of Baluchistan Mineral Rules, 2002, an Exploration License No.EL-5 was granted to JV in 2002 for three years. On two renewals thereof, EL-5 was to remain valid up to 18th February, 2011. In 2006, game takes an interesting turn and Tethyan 75% shares were sold to Antofagasta (Chile) and Barrack Gold Corporation (Canada) with 50/50 equity. Question arises why these new actors were brought forth, when BHP itself was technically and financially sound enough to carry out this project? Was this a strategic deal, brokered by global master players? Answer could be found by knowing the links of these new actors, which goes back to US, where link terminates to a global figure, former US president W.H Bush Sr: King of global oil& gas mafia and father figure of global resources secret wars, latest episode of which is being fought in Afghanistan for last three decades. Now looking at Baluchistan map, Reko-Diq is found located at strategic location in the proximity of Gwadar port: proposed end point of multiple US oil and gas pipelines for Central Asian oil and gas, for which US led NATO has been killing innocent of this region. Reko-Diq also is back yard of Iran, which is having very strained relations with US/West over its nuclear issue. After knowing strategic Reko-Diq location, it would be worth to understand the timing of entrance of new actors in the game. It was the time when US/CIA sponsored military dictator Gen Musharraf was ruling Pakistan with full support of US President Bush Jr. In 2007, Barrack CEO Greg Wilkins visited Islamabad in connection with that project, Munk said, he was received by both Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz (former executive of Bank of America) and President Pervez Musharraf! Was this not a thanks giving visit? Because Baluchistan high court had dismissed a constitutional petition against illegalities of Baluchistan government regarding Reko Diq through the impugned judgment dated 26-6-2007. Leaving aside the so called technical details and fake feasibility report of this mega fraud project (frequently available from different sources and could also be accessed from Tethyan website too) which was about to happen, lets view political back ground of this issue. Till 1999, when Tethyan broke the initial news of huge copper and gold deposits on the basis of its initial site surveys and lab tests findings, ruling government in Baluchistan belonged to Baluchistan Nationalist Party, BNP had long been spear heading the campaign of provincial autonomy of the province. Being a staunch supporter and flag bearer of Baluchistan provincial autonomy, BNP leadership focused its attention during its rule, over the potential illegalities concerning the deal, based upon the news of early mishandling of the project, at the hands of federal and provincial bureaucracy. Unfortunately, BNP government was dismissed in 1999 under suspicious conditions by federal government of Nawaz Sharif then Prime Minister. Most probably Reko diq was one of the reasons behind that dissmisal.BNP leadership after the dismissal of its government strongly raised its voice regarding protection of provincial rights, over Baluchistan’s ports and mineral wealth. After Musharraf imposition of military rule in Pakistan in1999 at the behest of CIA, majority of BNP leadership went into exile pre-empting Musharraf extortions. Musharraf regime awarded Saindak-Chaghi copper and gold extraction project to a Chinese firm MCC in 2002, by passing set standards of international deals, keeping Bloch politicians out of loop, as a result bitter environment was prevailing over Bloch nationalist politics. MCC Deals details shows it was totally a nonsense deal and apprehension of Bloch nationalist were not unfounded. In 2010, when Tethyan moved its application for the lease of extraction rights of the Reko-Diq, very tough resistance came from Bloch nationalist sitting in exile or from within Baluchistan. As we know Baluchistan is facing an insurgency, post the death of veteran Bloch nationalist politician/former governor of Baluchistan Nawab Akbar Bugti, who was killed as a result of military operation during Musharraf regime in 2006. Resistance to sell Reko Diq to Tethyan through murky deals, in an environment of extreme mistrust was not easy for anyone to withstand in Zardari regime, despite its worst reputation for unparallel corruption. Though Tethyan big bosses through Canadian diplomatic channels approached Pakistani Prime Minister for intervention, but could not succeed. Keeping in view ongoing insurgency and loudly sounding slogans of “Independent Baluchistan,” Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani couldn’t do anything to wheel the Tethyan highly controversial deal. This was the scenario, which compelled then Baluchistan government in 2011 to block that multibillion dollar dubious deals/mega fraud, and rejected the plea of Tethyan for the award of extraction lease, which was later on rejected by ICSID, when approached by Tethyan. After his dismissal in 2012, sacked Chief Minister of Baluchistan Aslam Raisani told to press, his government was dismissed for discarding pressure of powerful forces and bribe. He went on to saying, whenever he visited Islamabad, during the pendency of Tethyan application for lease approval, diplomats of different European countries asked him what he was going to do with Tethyan application? Supreme Court verdict and rejection of Tethyan application by provincial government of Baluchistan was not easy to be swallowed by highly powerful political backers of the project. All of sudden Baluchistan independence issue was raised before US Senate committee on human right in 2012, in which US government was asked to intervene, over the issue of human right violations in the province of Baluchistan-Pakistan by law enforcing agencies. While, full-scale global resources wars are being fought inside and in the vicinity of Pakistan, especially in its western provinces neighboring Afghanistan. Blunders of the past military and civil dictatorships have crippled the bleeding Pakistan economically. To fulfill his economic agenda Nawaz Sharif will have to walkover the tight rope with extreme caution. He will have to protect Pakistan vital national interest, especially the genuine concerns of Bloch masses. Otherwise powerful intriguing forces will waste no time to turn the table to ditch his vision of Game Changer. As a result, he will appear as a victim of his own follies.
Posted on: Fri, 06 Sep 2013 00:18:41 +0000
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