ISLAMABAD: The five-member larger bench of Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on the Reko Diq presidential reference upon completion of hearing and will announce the verdict next week.
A five-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, and Justice Jamaal Khan Mandokhel heard the case and reserved its verdict.
The court will announce its judgment next week.
The Chief Justice thanked amicus curiae, additional attorney general and lawyers for their assistance in the case hearing. CJP Bandial stated that the court while giving its opinion over the presidential reference will remain cautious with regard to the fundamental human rights.
“The President has sought the court’s opinion over the legal challenges pertaining to the Reko Diq agreement,” Justice Bandial observed. “It is a fact that billions of dollars fine has been imposed on Pakistan. The federation has followed the constitution and the law in the agreement,” chief justice said.
“We are pleased that Reko Diq agreement assures compliance with international standards,” the chief justice observed.
“It is also a good omen that no side has termed the agreement as unlawful,” Justice Ijazul Ahsan said. “All lawyers agreed that Reko Diq is a transparent and people-friendly agreement,” Justice Ahsan added.
“Reko Diq agreement reached after hectic parlays for three years,” the deputy attorney general informed the court.
It is important to mention here that President Arif Alvi, on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, sent a reference to the Supreme Court to get validation for the new Reko Diq project deal under Article 186 of the Constitution.
Reko Diq is one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold mines and work on the project is being restarted after remaining suspended since 2011.
