QUETTA: Sardarzada Umair Muhammad Hassani, the Adviser to the Caretaker Chief Minister of Balochistan on Minerals, has announced that the government is in the process of introducing a new Mines and Minerals Policy. This policy aims to protect the rights of local residents and attract investors, ultimately contributing to the development of the Balochistan region.
During a press conference held at the Mines and Minerals Department office in Hub, the adviser highlighted that the mining sector in Balochistan is undergoing modernization, with significant investment opportunities available in the sector. The goal is to increase the annual royalty income for the Mining and Mineral Department to Rs15 billion. To achieve this, the mining sector will introduce artificial intelligence engineering.
Hassani emphasized the importance of creating a mechanism to ensure the proper use of company funds, with the expectation that it would bring innovation to the mining industry. He also stated his intention to visit areas like Dera Bugti, Chagai, and Loralai in the near future to assess the development of mineral resources in those regions and address the concerns of local residents.
Nine Balochistan Graduates Embark On Prestigious RMDC International Graduate Programme
In another notable development, nine recent graduates from Balochistan have been selected for the prestigious Reko Diq Mining Corporation (RMDC) International Graduate Programme, which was initiated in July earlier this year.
This program, designed to nurture a new generation of experts and leaders, is a collaborative effort involving Barrick Gold, a Canadian-based corporation with a 50% stake in Pakistan’s Reko Diq mine.
The primary objective of the RMDC International Graduate Programme, as outlined in a press release from Barrick Gold, is to cultivate a group of future professionals who will not only bridge the skills gap in the region but also become advocates for the Reko Diq Mining Company and their province.
Barrick Gold, operating in 19 countries, places great emphasis on cross-border knowledge exchange among its team members to facilitate knowledge transfer and enhance local capabilities. This program, tailored for Pakistan, aims to strengthen the country’s human resource capacity in the mining sector. The graduates selected for this program will undergo a two-year tenure, after which they will return to Pakistan to contribute to Barrick’s operations in the country.
Among the nine individuals selected, four are women from various parts of Balochistan. The selection process rigorously evaluated candidates from diverse regions within Balochistan, including Panjgur, Gwadar, Quetta, Loralai, Khuzdar, Pishin, and the RDMC district of operations in Chagai.
These selected graduates have diverse educational backgrounds, specializing in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Renewable Energy, and Geology.
To identify suitable candidates from Balochistan, RMDC actively collaborated with educational institutions such as the Balochistan University of Engineering & Technology (BUET) Khuzdar, National University of Science & Technology (NUST), University of Balochistan, and Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering & Management Sciences (BUITEMS). Additionally, RMDC advertised the program in mainstream publications in July 2023 to reach a wider audience.
