Fateh Group, a small industrial conglomerate, is being allowed by the Sindh government to continue extracting coal from an 8,000-acre state-owned coalfield to sell on the open market. PHOTO: PPI
CHARSADDA: Owners of chromite mines in Mandani, Charsadda alleged on Wednesday that relatives of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak were trying to take over their mines illegally.
Addressing a news conference at Charsadda Press Club, owners Sher Ali Khan, Zarmos Khan, Mohammad Jehangir, Jan Mohammad, Fazal Wakil and others said the chief minister’s close relative Jalal Khattak and his associates were making attempts to snatch chromite mines worth billions of rupees.
They said an armed clash over the ownership of these mines claimed two lives a couple of years ago.
According to them, a jirga decided the heirs of the slain individuals would get a 25% share in chromite mines in lieu of blood money for about five years.
After that, they would get labour rights in these mines and Rs1,200 per tonne. However, the other party has now backed away from this agreement, the mine owners claimed.
They said the government was now trying to illegally occupy the property of about 360 people and urged the Peshawar High Court chief justice and PTI chief Imran Khan to take notice of the matter.
They claimed Jalal and his associates were trying to capture these mines by involving the mines director general and the district administration despite the owner’s having a restraining order from the court and a lease.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 21st, 2015.
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