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Pakistan has announced plans to significantly expand security measures in Balochistan amid growing concerns from foreign investors following a surge in militant attacks and renewed scrutiny of the multibillion-dollar Reko Diq copper and gold mining project.
The move includes strengthening intelligence networks, tightening border security along Balochistan’s frontiers with Iran and Afghanistan, and establishing a dedicated security force to protect mineral-rich areas of the province.
The announcement comes a day after Canadian mining giant Barrick Gold Corporation confirmed it would conduct a comprehensive review of all aspects of the Reko Diq project, one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold deposits.
Barrick’s decision followed a wave of coordinated attacks carried out last week across several districts of Balochistan during what the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) described as the second phase of its “Operation Herof”.
Pakistani authorities said the attacks left 36 civilians and 22 security personnel dead. Officials also claimed that subsequent security operations resulted in the killing of 216 militants — a figure rejected by the BLA.
The militant group said 93 of its fighters were killed during the six-day operation, including 50 suicide attackers. On Friday, the BLA announced the end of the operation, claiming that more than 360 members of the security forces, police and private militias had been killed or captured. These claims could not be independently verified.
Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan and is rich in natural resources, has faced a decades-long insurgency. Armed groups have frequently targeted security forces, state infrastructure and foreign-linked economic projects, particularly in the mining and energy sectors.
Government response
Shahid Rind, spokesperson for the Balochistan Chief Minister on media and political affairs, said the provincial government was restructuring its security framework in coordination with federal forces in response to recent developments.
He said the measures include the creation of a specialised Frontier Corps unit to secure mining regions, enhanced protection along international borders, and an expanded intelligence network. Authorities also plan closer coordination with companies operating in the province.
“The provincial government is serious about foreign investment and considers Reko Diq a flagship project,” Mr Rind said, adding that steps were being taken to address investor concerns following recent attacks.
Barrick Gold review
A spokesperson for Barrick Gold said the company, as outlined in its public disclosures, is reviewing all aspects of the Reko Diq project, including security arrangements, development timelines and capital expenditure.
In its fourth-quarter financial results released on 5 February, the company said site work at Reko Diq had continued but that management had initiated a comprehensive review following an increase in security incidents. Further details will be shared once the review is complete.
Barrick Gold holds a 50 per cent stake in the project, with the remaining ownership split between three Pakistani federal state-owned enterprises (25 per cent) and the Government of Balochistan (25 per cent). Production is expected to begin in 2028.
Infrastructure and exports
Despite security challenges in Balochistan, infrastructure planning linked to the project is continuing elsewhere in the country.
Barrick Gold is expected to invest US$150 million in port-related infrastructure ahead of future exports. Pakistan International Bulk Terminal Limited (PIBT), which operates the country’s first dirty bulk cargo terminal at Port Qasim in Karachi, will handle exports from Reko Diq.
PIBT’s chief executive, Shariq Azim Siddiqui, said a dedicated storage shed and upgraded facilities would support concentrate exports from 2028.
Under an export agreement signed last week between PIBT and Reko Diq Mining Company — Barrick’s local subsidiary — around 800,000 tonnes of copper and gold concentrate will be exported annually in the first phase, with volumes expected to double later.
Ongoing risks
The Reko Diq project was revived in 2022 after years of legal disputes and is described by authorities as a transformative investment for the country’s largest but least developed province.
However, persistent militant activity has heightened investor concerns. Following last week’s attacks — among the deadliest in recent years — large-scale security operations are ongoing across Balochistan.
Mr Siddiqui said the escalation posed risks for logistics and exports. “Security challenges have always existed, and investors are aware of this reality,” he said, adding that any disruption to cargo movement could impact the project and its stakeholders.
The recent violence has also raised concerns among other foreign investors, including China, with reports suggesting that several China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)-linked projects have been paused.
In a statement issued after the attacks, the BLA said it opposed investments carried out without the consent of the local population and warned that such projects would continue to be targeted.
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