Committees formed to probe illegal mining near motorway

Mines department, housing authorities will take action based on reports

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa mines and minerals department and Provincial Housing Authority have initiated efforts to prevent illegal mining at the site reserved for a housing scheme near the Peshawar-Islamabad motorway.

The mines directorate has constituted a special enquiry committee with Hayatur Rahman, the assistant director of the department, as its chief.

When contacted, Rahman told The Express Tribune they have so far placed the site under observation.

The assistant director confirmed that he visited the site. He added the report on illegal mining could be made public once the observation and investigation is completed.

Mines and Minerals Department Director General Tayyab Muhammad Shah has already declared action against all those involved in illegal mining in Swabi and Nowshera.



On the other hand, Peshawar Housing Authority’s Ijaz Afzal Khan has also taken notice of illegal mining and digging on the site being acquired to build Peshawar Mega City. He said a committee was being constituted for a detailed enquiry so that action could be taken against the elements responsible.

The efforts have been initiated in light of a report published in The Express Tribune two days back.

The report was on illegal mining on the site. The site was restricted for a housing scheme, by the deputy commissioner of Nowshera, under Section 4 of Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

From the last several years, mining sector in all over K-P has been under fire. Two former provincial mines and mineral ministers, Nawabzada Mehmood Zeb and Ziaullah Afridi, along with other high-ranking officers, were facing corruption charges. It was alleged a number of leading politicians were also involved directly and indirectly in illegal mining.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2016.