Miners in FATA threaten to protest

Say secretariat, political admin obstruct mining activity.

SHABQADAR: Investors and workers from the tribal belt’s mining industry believe the government is discouraging investment and throttling the industry. FATA Mining Development Association President Dawood Mohmand accused the Mohmand political administration of harassing nephrite and chromite mine owners.

Addressing a press conference at a bazaar in Sro Kalay on Tuesday, he said the administration is not allowing mined minerals to be shifted outside the agency.

Dawood said two such trucks have been impounded by the Lower Mohmand assistant political agent for no given reason. He said if the trucks are not released, the association will protest outside Governor House.

According to Dawood, the industry employs over 30,000 people and the workforce has remained unemployed for the past five months thanks to the political administration and the FATA Secretariat’s apathy. He said mines have been forced to shut over lease and NOC issues and new documents are not being issued despite repeated applications.

Talking to The Express Tribune, association vice president Muhammad Zubair Khan said he is a retired professor who invested all his life savings—about Rs8 million—in a mine in Ambar. “I submitted required documents with the FATA Secretariat last December. I am yet to receive a lease and NOC papers,” he said.

Without stakeholders

Also speaking on the occasion, general secreatry Hayat Muhammad said at a time when other businessmen are reluctant to venture into the tribal areas, “We invested our trust in the local industry and manpower.”

He added the governor announced a mining policy without consulting actual stakeholders.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2015.