Quarrying of rocks destroying rivers, laments PHC judge

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday sought a report from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government pertaining to the archaeological sites excavation case.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Shahzad Khan Bangash, Director Archeology Dr Abdul Samad, mining director, sports culture secretary, sports and tourism secretary apart from AAG Syed Sikandar appeared before a two-member bench comprising PHC Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim.

During the hearing, CJ Khan said senior government officials had been summoned so that they are apprised of the court’s concerns that should be taken up at a high-level meeting. “The brutality with which the Mining Department has leased it is regrettable,” he said. Rivers were not spared here either. They were also seized.”

Lambasting the mining department for wreaking havoc, the provincial chief justice remarked that illegal leases had been granted and that matters related to rivers, forests, archeology, and PTDC were also pending in court.

“Unfortunately extraction of rocks is destroying the rivers,” the PHC CJ added. He was assured by the chief secretary that steps are being taken to improve the condition of rivers.

Bangash informed the court that PTDC has 19 properties out of which 17 are under the control of the provincial government but two haven’t been taken over so far due to snowfall.

The chief secretary added that committees have been set up for a transparent auction. To which the chief justice responded saying that the court wanted the whole process to be transparent and no one's caste or firm should be given illegal benefits. The top K-P judge also expressed displeasure over the road leading to the Chitral National Goal Park, directing authorities to take steps to improve it.

“Rani Ghat sites are also being affected by illegal excavations,” he maintained. Bangash assured the court to look into all the excavation matters by himself.

Hearing was adjourned until further notice.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2022.