PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has ordered the cancellation of gold mining leases across the province and an immediate suspension of all mining operations, warning contractors to remove their equipment within a week or face strict action.
Speaking at a news conference alongside other officials, Faisal Karim Kundi said the decision was aimed at protecting the province's mineral wealth and ending illegal exploitation of natural resources.
The governor said he attended an important conference in Islamabad two days earlier, stressing that there was no room for surrender in the fight against terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He stated that the province's resources had been exploited for the past 13 years, adding that restoring peace and protecting public assets remained the government's top priorities.
Faisal Karim Kundi said the province's mineral reserves belonged to its people and that no individual or group would be allowed to exploit them illegally. He warned that those involved in depriving the province of its resources would face action under a new accountability system.
Revealing the scale of mining activities in Kohat, the governor said 8,350 tractors, 3,660 excavators and 1,600 dump trucks were operating across two mining blocks.
He alleged that nearly 80% of the income generated through illegal mining was being transferred to Afghanistan, while as much as 9 kilograms of gold were reportedly extracted each month.
Faisal Karim Kundi further claimed that militant commanders were collecting extortion payments of 800,000 rupees from local residents and up to 4 million rupees from people traveling to the area from outside.
He also said that members of Fitna al-Khawarij had attacked police officers during an operation targeting illegal mining activities.
The governor announced a 'zero-tolerance' policy against individuals involved in the killing of security personnel and said authorities would strengthen security checks to stop illegal mining and the unauthorized transportation of mineral resources.
He also claimed that 12 politicians were involved in illegal activities and accused the brother of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi of having links to the alleged operations. He stressed that those responsible would be held accountable.
Faisal Karim Kundi announced the formation of a special task force named after martyred Deputy Superintendent of Police Haider Zaman to oversee action against illegal mining.
He warned contractors to remove their machinery within seven days, saying authorities would take strict measures against those who failed to comply.
"All gold mining activities are being suspended from today. Contractors should remove their machinery or face strict action. If we do not fix the system, we cannot fix the province," Kundi said.
The governor also named Aftab Alam, Shehryar Afridi, Khurram Zeeshan and Sajid Iqbal as individuals allegedly involved in illegal mining. He further accused Ehsan Lachi, Amjad Afridi and Seth Saifullah of involvement in criminal activities.
Faisal Karim Kundi claimed that monthly gold extraction could reach 90 kilograms and said the provincial government was introducing several measures following the imposition of an emergency.
