Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced that the federal government will bear all the financial burden of Reko Diq for the progress and prosperity of Balochistan.

Read more: Why Balochistan is still the poorest province despite great natural resources

In a tweet, he said that the step was part of the government’s vision for the development of smaller provinces.

“In line with my govt’s vision for [the] uplift of smaller provinces, I have decided our fed govt will bear all the financial burden for Reko Diq and its development on behalf of Govt of Balochistan.”

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In line with my govt's vision for uplift of smaller provinces, I have decided our fed govt will bear all the financial burden for Reko Diq & it's development on behalf of Govt of Balochistan. This will help usher in an era of prosperity for the people & province of Balochistan.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 29, 2021

“This will help usher in an era of prosperity for the people and province of Balochistan,” he added.

Meanwhile, talking to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in Islamabad, the Prime Minister directed for timely completion of all the ongoing projects in the province.

The premier also directed for taking all steps to ensure unity and discipline in the party ranks for the upcoming phase of local government elections.

During the meeting, matters about the second phase of local government elections and the organization of PTI in the province came under discussion.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan had blocked the joint venture, Tethyan Copper, in 2013 from developing Reko Diq – one of the world’s biggest untapped deposits of copper and gold – following a court case over how the contract had been awarded.

Read more: All decisions against PIA in Reko Diq case reversed: Fawad Chaudhry

The Pakistani government, however, was later ordered by a global arbitration body to pay $5.8 billion in damages after Tethyan Copper took it to court.