ISLAMABAD: Barrick Gold Corporation (BGC), which agreed to revive Reko Diq project after a resettlement with Pakistan earlier this year, assured the Supreme Court on Monday that it would not claim any exemption on labour laws and working conditions provided by it would be far better than what other companies provide to their workers in the country.
The assurance was held out by senior counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan, who represented the Canadian firm before a five-judge SC bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial during the hearing of a presidential reference on the Reko Diq project.
The chief justice expressed the apprehension that people could be forced to work for the company at low wages since BGC had no competitor in the area. The bench suggested that the terms of employment should be better than those offered by other companies, wondering if those working in the excavation of gold and copper would be paid in accordance with international standards.
The counsel assured the court that the International Labour Organisation conventions would be complied with to provide human safety requirements, safeguards and proper wage to labourers. A local grievance redressal mechanism for labourers would also be in place, he said, adding that the entire operation at the project would be monitored by the federal and Balochistan governments.
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