ISLAMABAD: Distinctive Nuclear Scientist Dr Abdul Qadir Khan on Sunday suggested the public private partnership should explore to exploit mega reservoirs of Thar Coal and Riko Diq Gold and Copper mines for national development.

Dr Khan said in an exclusive interview that deterring the foreign investors away is not in the national interest. “Therefore, we need to look for a middle way that should be acceptable to both the respective provincial governments and foreign investor that had already invested certain amount of money on exploration,” Khan said.

Without naming it as such, Khan described the public private partnership as the best option to make the mega projects like the Thar Coal and Riko Diq operational. “Besides technical know-how these projects also require millions of dollars to utilize the hidden resources,” he added.

Khan alleged that intellectual dishonesty on part of the persons like his former colleague Dr Samar Mubark Mand has entangled these projects that could have changed the destiny of the nation. Khan was referring to Dr Mubarikmand’s claim that “we can do Riko Diq and Thar Coal without the foreign investors.” Dr Khan told Online that Dr Mand had a doctorate degree in High Voltage and knows nothing about minerals. He said that the exploration of minerals from land, requires a specific type of expertise , which the government sector cannot arrange alone.

Dr. A.Q. Khan termed as misguiding, the provincial government of Balochistan has even denied the first right to bid for mining lease to the foreign investors involved. On the contrary, the Balochistan mineral rules clearly prescribes that the party having exploration license would have the first right to bid for mining lease in case of discovery.

Meanwhile sources made startling revelation to Online that Dr Mand has close terms with the brother of Chief Minister Balochistan. “He also got appointed another of his relatives Ahmar Bilal Sufi as the legal Advisor of the Riko Diq project,” the sources added.

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