Daily Times

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Sunday approved two important agenda items related to Reko Diq project, thus paving the way for early start of the Reko Diq Project.

Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar presided over the meeting virtually, where as the meeting was attended by the Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan, Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Masood Malik, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Dr. Ayesha Ghous Pasha, said a press release.

Among others the meeting was also attended by Special Assistant of Prime Minister on Finance Tariq Bajwa, SAPM on Revenue Tariq Mehmood Pasha, federal secretaries, Chairman FBR and other senior officers.

Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) submitted a summary on accrued interest with respect to the amount held in an escrow account in connection with the Reko Diq Project dispute settlement.

It was presented that government of Pakistan and Provincial Government of Baluchistan entered into an out-of-court dispute settlement with M/s Tethyan Copper Company Pvt Limited- a consortium of Barrick Gold Corporation of Canada and M/s Antofagasta PLC of Chile, in respect of Reko Diq Copper-Gold Project in Chaghai district of Baluchistan.

As per settlement terms, Government of Pakistan has to clear liabilities to Antofagasta PLC. In the light of the terms of agreed settlement, the ECC allowed Finance Division to direct GHPL (for its own as well as GoB’s share), OGDCL and PPL to deposit the aggregate amount of interest to the sum of US$ 22,718,173/- in the escrow account from March 31, 2022 to December 15, 2022.

The ECC further allowed Finance Division to arrange the interest payable for Government of Balochistan share amounting to US$ 8,519,314 from the loan of Rs 65 billion already raised by the GHPL with the Government of Pakistan guarantee. Further, the ECC allowed the concerned Divisions of government and the SOEs to act in such a manner to ensure that the deposited amount alongwith interest deposited by the state owned enterprises in the escrow account to form part of the consideration for share purchase of Reko Diq Mining Company Limited.

The ECC also considered and approved a proposal of Finance Division through a summary on funding plan of Government of Pakistan for share of Government of Baluchistan in Reko Diq Project.

As per proposal, overall funding commitment of US$ 717 million over the period of 6 years by Government of Pakistan in respect of Government of Balochistan SPV Project Capital Commitment to be provided by the Government of Pakistan.