Prized mines leased out to ‘Afghan’ with officials’ connivance

PESHAWAR: Elders of Kodakhel tribe of Mohmand tribal district on Tuesday alleged that influential people had occupied mineral resources of people and demanded the authorities concerned to take note of the situation.

Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, Malik Abdullah Kodakhel alleged that an Afghan national, Hamid Afghani, had obtained Pakistani computerized national identity card of Kodakhel tribe and was excavating precious chromite and nephrite in connivance with officials of the district administration in the area.

He said that Hamid Afghani had exported chromite and nephrite worth millions of rupees from Kodakhel mines to other countries.

The tribesman said that some tribal maliks were patronising the Afghan national and helped him obtain CNIC.

He said the administration on the complaints of tribal elders had ordered verification of the ‘fake’ CNIC but alleged that tribal maliks declared the man in question Pakistani national, which they termed an unjust act.

Flanked by elders of the Kodakhel tribe, Noor Hussain alias Shina, Mohammad Ikram, Sameen Gul, Redi Gul and others, he asked the authorities to block the CNIC of Hamid Afghani and repatriate him to his native Afghanistan.