ISLAMABAD:The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday directed the Balochistan government to take a decision on the renewal of Tethyan Copper Companys license for the Reko Diq project based on the feasibility report prepared by the company instead of waiting for their licence to expire.
The court was hearing petitionsfiled by 26 senators challenging the contract of the TCC to explore and excavate gold and copper from the Reko Diq mines in Balochistan which are estimated to have reserves worth over $260 billion.
Advocate General Balochistan, Salahuddin Mengal told the court during todays (Friday) proceedings that all licences issued for the project would expire by February 20.
He said that eight licenses were issued between 1993 and 1999, out of which only one allowed the exploration of minerals.
If the companys license is not renewed, a new agreement will have to be signed for it to carry out its mining activities.
Responding to Mengals statement that mining licences were issued for the Reko Diq project by the governor in 1993, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhryobserved that governors were not authorised to act on behalf of the government.
The hearing of the case has been adjourned till January 31st.
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