Islamabad:
The World Bank is likely to provide technical assistance to develop an integrated infrastructure roadmap and a socio-economic development plan for Reko Diq and other mining sites in Balutchistan, express sources said on Wednesday.
They declared that a World Bank representative had agreed to the technical assistance plan at a recent meeting of the Unplaced Technical Aid Committee (NLTAC) held at the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
The NLTAC discussed a proposal from the oil division of the Ministry of Energy to seek technical support from the World Bank for the development of an integrated infrastructure roadmap and a socio-economic development plan for Reko DIQ and other mining sites in Balutchistan.
The meeting, chaired by the Secretary of Economic Affairs, received a briefing from the Secretary of Petroleum, who stressed the need to incorporate the socio-economic uprising thanks to the development of communities and infrastructure, while protecting environmental aspects in the current mining operations.
The Pakistan mining industry is currently at an emerging stage, with very few medium -scale projects. Pakistan has recently developed a harmonized legal and regulatory framework aligned with international best practices, according to a source.
“It is necessary to process the environmental, social and economic aspects to all phases of mining operations – from exploration and extraction to the processing and closing of the site – for which the technical assistance offered is requested from the World Bank, according to sources, citing the briefing.
The representative of the World Bank, said the source, informed that the technical assistance proposed would be organized by the World Bank in its end, without any financial responsibility on the part of the Government of Pakistan.
However, after the finalization of the plans under the NLTA, any subsequent development project could be taken into account either in the support of the World Bank or by the private sector, following prescribed government procedures.
The representative of the World Bank agreed with the proposal of a ministry of town planning for the hiring of a consulting firm and internal discussions on the issue in order to determine the real requirements of experts. The oil secretary said the conceptual document was at the finalization stage.
The committee agreed to transmit the request for the oil division to the World Bank for required technical assistance. It has also been agreed that the oil division would share the concept document with the mandate for consultants who are committed through the World Bank.
