Reko Diq case: 'exploration license to BHP was an attack on sovereignty'

The Supreme Court was told on Wednesday that award of exploration license to BHP for exploration of Reko-Diq copper project - considered as the world's largest copper reserves, was an attack on sovereignty of Pakistan.
A four-member bench of Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry comprising Justice Muhammad Sair Ali, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday was hearing a number of petitions against award of Reko Diq goldmines and copper project contract to TCC, a Canadian and Chilean consortium of Barrick Gold and Antofagasta Minerals.
Ahmad Raza Qasuri, counsel for Sanjrani tribe contended that award of exploration licenses to BHP was an attack on sovereignty of Pakistan, which, he said could prove as East India Company. Justice Chaudhry told the counsel not to be emotional and stop talking of East India Company.
"We are a sovereign nation and we have the guts to foil any foreign conspiracy against our country", CJP told Qasuri. The Chief Justice said that Balochis are people of integrity and they would never ask foreigners to establish schools for their children - they have got their own resources and quite capable to educate their children at their own. He said that we (Pakistanis) would prefer to live on one time meal but would never compromise on our sovereignty.
When the counsel for the tribe argued, saying that how we claim to be a sovereign state, when a US national killed three innocent people in Lahore in broad daylight while the government is busy in convening roundtable conferences for his safe release, the bench said that the issue is not before the court. The counsel read out some information, which he had downloaded, from internet over Reko-Diq deal, but the court asked him to verify the source with further direction to provide it to all concerned parties.
Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, counsel for BHP told the court that Pakistanis are a nation who became a nuclear power when one of their leaders in 1974, just vowed to make his country a nuclear state one day, saying: 'We would eat grass but live with dignity and will become a nuclear state'.
Meanwhile, Salahuddin Mengal, Advocate-General Balochistan presented record of Reko-Diq deal before the court, but failed to provide record pertaining to joint venture agreement with BHP and the notification for relaxation of rules for grant of exploration license to the company. He informed the court that till 2002, ministry of industries and commerce was dealing with matters relating to relaxation of rules for awarding exploration licenses to the company and after 2002 it was given to mineral department. The court adjourned the hearing till Thursday.