Conditional clearance for airborne surveys: Mari Energies aircraft surveys
The government has allowed Mari Energies to temporarily import an aircraft for airborne field detection surveys in selected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, subject to strict security conditions.
The company has been granted a conditional no-objection certificate (NOC) for the operations. The surveys will cover the Wali West, Waziristan and Karak blocks in K-P, as well as Block-28, Hanna, Hanna South, Ziarat and Ziarat North blocks in Balochistan.
The conditions
Under the approval, Mari must give authorities at least two weeks’ notice before the aircraft and survey team arrive. The company must also confine its activities to the mutually agreed areas and arrange transportation, lodging and other administrative requirements for the team without seeking reimbursement.
The government has placed limits on the equipment carried aboard the aircraft. Only sensors and equipment needed for the surveys and communications will be permitted, while other photographic and survey equipment will be barred.
Each sortie’s schedule must be shared at least 48 hours in advance. Flight routes, from takeoff to landing, must be arranged in consultation with the Directorate of Air Traffic Services.
Strategic Plans Division oversight
The Strategic Plans Division will play a central role in the operation. Two SPD officers must be on board every sortie to monitor and coordinate, and the division will review data collected during each sortie before clearing the next flight.
Mari must also undertake not to transmit survey data outside Pakistan without SPD clearance. The company has to allow the SPD team to inspect the aircraft before operations begin.
The approval gives the SPD priority rights if strategic minerals are identified in the survey areas. Mari must provide space and access if the division decides to conduct activities there. Any foreign experts involved will need security clearance, and they will not be allowed to visit other areas without proper security arrangements.
The company has been directed to comply fully with all conditions and submit a certificate confirming that the requirements have been observed.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mari Energies surveying?
The company will carry out airborne field detection surveys, which use aircraft-mounted sensors to map geological features, in licensed blocks across K-P and Balochistan.
Why are the conditions so strict?
The survey areas are sensitive, and the data could reveal strategic mineral deposits. The SPD will monitor every flight and must clear any data before it leaves the country.
What happens if strategic minerals are found?
Under the NOC, the Strategic Plans Division gets priority rights in the survey areas if strategic minerals are identified, and Mari must give it space and access.
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Originally reported by propakistani.pk.
