ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday summoned Balochistan’s former and current chief secretaries along with record of the licenses issued to a foreign company, allowing it to explore gold and copper deposits in the province.
The former and incumbent officials were summoned during a hearing of petitions challenging the award of a contract to the Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) – a Canadian consortium of Barrick Gold and Antofagasta Minerals – for exploring gold and copper in Reko Diq, a small desert town in Chagai district of Balochistan.
The apex court bench hearing the petitions comprised Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Mohammad Sair Ali, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday.
The court issued notices to 26 Senators, including former minister Azam Khan Swati, after approving a petition seeking to make them party in the said case.
The court said the case was too important and that provincial representatives be present during the proceedings.
The court also ordered Advocate General Balochistan to bring a record of the license awarded to TCC.
