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Shame -- if any -- awaits Woodrow Wilson, Atlantic councils
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by Ahmar Mustikhan | January 15, 2010 at 09:39 am
932 views | 2 Recommendations | 10 comments
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Muslim Lakhani Dialogue Interview on Pakistan, Part 1 of 3
sourced by Ahmar Mustikhan
Two premier U.S. think-tanks are facing a huge embarrassment as one of their council members was taking credit for a controversial gold-cum project in Baluchistan, where a freedom struggle is being waged by the natives for the control over their national resources.
The project is now being canceled by Pakistan on the request of the provincial government as it will only leave "huge holes" for the Baluch masses..
The chief minister of Baluchistan, Nawab Aslam Raisani, termed the project contrary to the interests of the impoverished people of Baluchistan.
Mr Raisani said the agreement had been terminated in the interest of the people of Balochistan, adding that his government would not allow any agreement which undermined people’s rights.
The chief minister said the federal government had not yet sought any explanation from the Balochistan government over the cancellation of the Reko Dik project. Meanwhile, a statement issued by a spokesman for the Balochistan government said the provincial cabinet in its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Raisani on Dec 24 had unanimously endorsed the Balochistan government’s stand on the termination of the contract signed with the Tethyan Copper Company on the
Reko Dik Copper and Gold Project in Chagai district.
Raisani had expressed the resentment of the people of Baluchistan against the project as locals were being denied jobs at the site. Any queries directed to Barrick Gold Corporation were being referred to its Pakistani subsidiary Tethyan.
Referring to the Rico Dick Copper-Gold Project in Chagai district, Raisani stated that: ‘I would never go for this agreement.’ He also stated that he had already taken up the issue with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and that he had agreed on their stand.‘If we go for these kinds of agreements then these companies would only leave deep ditches for us and we would not be benefiting from these projects,’ the Chief Minister concluded.
Now the federal government has said it will accept the demand of the provincial government and cancel the contract given to Barrick Gold Corporation and Antofagasta of Chile.
A senior official in the provincial government of Baluchistan said the export earnings could jump to $1,000bn in the next 25 to 30 years including earnings from gold and other precious minerals.
Baluchistan has been at the centre of an insurgency for almost four decades. The government has been trying to pacify armed militants there, by offering incentives such as more money for social services and larger government representation for people from the province.
Muslim Lakhani, a Pakistani businessman who claimed credit for selling the project to the Barrick Gold Corporation on his Woodrow Wilson And Atlantic Council profiles -- and making undisclosed multi-million profit --, left Pakistan for the U.S. after litigation started against the award of the contract to Barrick. Those affected were trying to seek justice at the Supreme Court.
Lakhani, who was very well-connected in the Musharraf regime, told this scribe that the former dictator's handpicked premier Shaukat Aziz comes to his Washington DC apartment for tea.
Lakhani is a member of the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Council and had foot the bill for bringing in four Pakistani journalists for an event at the Woodrow Wilson Center in fall 2008. He is also on the board of the Atlantic Council. His company ML Resources is listed as a Global Leadership Circle corporate member [2009] of the Atlantic Council.
In Pakistan, he was able to bring to the market a discovery of one of the world's largest reserves of copper in the remote Pakistani province of Balochistan, which was lying dormant due to very low prices of copper in 2001. After successfully confirming the reserves, it was sold to two of the world’s largest copper and gold mining companies in early 2006. This innovative project shared its profits with the Balochi people in a manner that made its presence welcome in the region.
In November the premier DC-based pro-independence American Friends of Baluchistan passed a resolution against the award of the contract to Barrick Gold Corporation and requested foreign firms to venture into Baluchistan after the main issue of its liberation from Pakistan's colonial yoke is resolved.
This conference calls upon multinational companies to halt the exploration work in disputed projects and the exploitation of Balochistan's natural resources until such time as Balochistan's long overdue issue is resolved. They should then restart their work with the will and confidence of the people of Balochistan as a free and sovereign nation. It urges international auditing of the Reko Diq gold-cum-copper project scandal and bringing the culprits involved, including Mr. Muslim Lakhani, to justice.
Lakhani, who was originally a Clinton supporter, paid nearly $90,000 to the Obama campaign.
"It is a shame how elements who loot and plunder the natural resources of indigenous people buy themselves respectability in the West," Baluch national hero Hyrbyair Marri commented from London.
"We have seen similar reports from Peru and Guatemala," said Marri, 41. "The world must know about the loot and plunder going on in Occupied Baluchistan," Marri said.
Lakhani contributed some of the big bucks made from his Reko Diq deal in Baluchistan during the Musharraf regime to Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars and the Atlantic Council.
He had initially tried to silence this scribe by threats of a law suit when his role in Barrick Gold Corporation's mysterious acquisition in Baluchistan was first exposed in fall.
In an unelated case, Pakistan is seeking extraditon of a former chief of the Bank of Punjab, Hamesh Khan, for a fraud to the tune of over $10 million dollars.
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Ahmar Mustikhan
Washington, District Of Columbia, United States
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (10)
at 15:40 on January 15th, 2010
Good story--you are freedom fighter.
at 15:41 on January 15th, 2010
Thanks. It is a duty of everyone to save mother earth.
at 16:52 on January 15th, 2010
Great Job
at 22:51 on January 15th, 2010
It is never late to mend. The termination of Reko dic project will at least relieve the Baloch who were even denied jobs in the project. Aslam Raisani rightly stood on his ground to see it cancelled. Enough of exploitation of Balochistan resources, now the world should realize that we will not allow anyone looting our resources The Saindak gold-cum-copper project, awarded to Chinese Company, should be terminated too. The Balochistan Government has to take control of Saindak project because the local workers are disadvantaged and lack facilities of health, housing and transportation. Even they are paid trifle remuneration in comparison with company’s net income. At the site, the Chinese engineers continue to detach from local workers to not transfer their technology. Their filthy intention is to plunder Balochistan resources. Saindak contract is a lease of 10 years. But the Company has enhanced its production potentials to pull out double amount of gold and copper within 10 years. And when they leave, nothing will be left there to take advantage of… The Balochistan Government has to seize any contract which may be awarded to any company in order to reserve resources and harness them for the welfare of Baloch and Balochistan.
at 22:53 on January 15th, 2010
It is never late to mend. The termination of Reko dic project will at least relieve the Baloch who were even denied jobs in the project. Aslam Raisani rightly stood on his ground to see it cancelled. Enough of exploitation of Balochistan resources, now the world should realize that we will not allow anyone looting our resources The Saindak gold-cum-copper project, awarded to Chinese Company, should be terminated too. The Balochistan Government has to take control of Saindak project because the local workers are disadvantaged and lack facilities of health, housing and transportation. Even they are paid trifle remuneration in comparison with company’s net income. At the site, the Chinese engineers continue to detach from local workers to not transfer their technology. Their filthy intention is to plunder Balochistan resources. Saindak contract is a lease of 10 years. But the Company has enhanced its production potentials to pull out double amount of gold and copper within 10 years. And when they leave, nothing will be left there to take advantage of… The Balochistan Government has to seize any contract which may be awarded to any company in order to reserve resources and harness them for the welfare of Baloch and Balochistan.
at 21:33 on January 16th, 2010
Barrick Gold says that they've spent $1.5 million on goodwill projects such as schools (www.thestar.com/news/world/article/750515--pakistan-pressed-on-barrick-mine-rights). Unfortunately, that is the easy part. They were only in the exploration stage. How much will they spend to clean up the environmental damage when the mining actually begins? If past experiences are any indication, the answer will be "Whatever they can get away with."Certainly one can't trust the central government to monitor mining activities given what has happened at the Saindak copper mine: "An effort was reportedly made in 2004 to appoint a technical firm for this purpose [monitoring and to evaluate production], but only a single non-responsive bid was received and the Pakistani government had to cancel the bidding results. Officials say that the poor response for a monitoring contract was due to a lack of base-metal analyzing technology in the country. The option of engaging some international firm for the scheme was not considered because of high costs." (www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/HJ05Df01.html)I'm sure if the Baloch had control over their resources and were allowed to negotiate deals involving the resources on their land, part of that contract would require mining companies to train local Baloch in monitoring and production evaluation techniques. Mining companies have a horrible track record when it comes to working in developing countries with weak governments. This contract should be renegotiated by those who have the best interests of the Baloch population in mind.
at 23:52 on January 16th, 2010
Dear investers and the rest! We the Baloch are the ever worst condition and cruelty of occupied pakistani forces have brought us in point of no return and the same we Baloch have decided to not allow any invader to plunder our resources as previously been looting by occupied pakistan. We Will fight and defend our mother land till the last breath...so we respect the outsider (other than pakistani) and dont want to put them in trouble. In short your all investments and plan about Balochistan is incompleted without prior permission of Baloch resistant forces.
at 00:28 on January 17th, 2010
the multinational corporations should never go in to zones of conflicts as this is against international law.Pakistan generals and Mr Muslim Lakhani should cough up the stolen money.
at 02:09 on January 17th, 2010
Good story--you are freedom fighter Thanks. It is a duty of everyone to save mother earth.
at 07:31 on January 21st, 2010
Its really a good news that, TCC agreement has been canceled but federal govt said that we review the provincial govt decision, actually last days the Spoke man of TCC Samia Ali shah has said that, there are 80 percent Balochs on job, i want to clear,its not true because few Baloch s are doing job as a labour, sampler and driver but there is no single Baloch on higher management.TTC new CEO Mr Peter jezek policy is completely anty Baloch and we condemn TCC anty Baloch policy.Baloch Chaghi