Pakistan steps up security for Chinese-run Saindak mine after operator raises alarm

Pakistan has ordered enhanced security measures for the Chinese-operated Saindak copper and gold mine after its operator warned that worsening security conditions in Balochistan could force a suspension of operations within a month.

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry told Reuters on Wednesday that the government had instructed provincial authorities and security agencies to strengthen protection for the mine's facilities, personnel, transport routes and logistics.

According to Chaudhry, the Interior Ministry received the operator's concerns in early July and immediately moved to reinforce security arrangements.

"It is our priority to safeguard all projects run by international companies in Pakistan," he said, adding that additional protection would also be provided for cargo movements and supply convoys serving the project.

The warning came from Saindak Metals Limited, the joint venture responsible for the mine, amid a deteriorating security environment in Balochistan, where militant attacks have intensified in recent months. The mine, operated by China's state-owned Metallurgical Corporation of China under a lease renewed in 2022, exports the majority of its copper and gold production to China.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Financial Times reported that Saindak's managing director had informed Pakistan's energy ministry that persistent security challenges were disrupting supply routes to the mine and could make operations unsustainable within a month.

The security concerns also underscore the broader risks facing Chinese investment in Pakistan's mineral-rich southwestern province, which hosts several major Beijing-backed projects, including the Gwadar deep-water port.

The unrest has also cast uncertainty over Barrick Mining's planned $9 billion Reko Diq copper and gold project, located around 50 kilometres (31 miles) from the Saindak mine.

Responding to the developments, China's foreign ministry said it was not aware of the specific situation but reaffirmed the close relationship between Beijing and Islamabad.

A foreign ministry spokesperson described China and Pakistan as "staunch friends and all-weather strategic partners" and said both countries would continue working together to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals, projects and institutions operating in Pakistan.

The latest concerns follow a recent surge in violence in Balochistan. On July 9, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said the province had witnessed three major terrorist attacks over four days. He said subsequent security operations in Ziarat, Kharan and Dalbandin resulted in the deaths of 54 terrorists, while 42 civilians and security personnel were martyred between July 5 and July 9.