Committee on curbing illegal mining of placer gold formed

LAHORE: On the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, an eight-member committee has been formed, led by Convener Sardar Sher Ali Gorchani, Provincial Minister for Mines and Minerals, to enhance coordination between administrative departments and law enforcement agencies.

The committee held its inaugural meeting with Provincial Minister for Law and Communications, Sohaib Ahmed Bhart, participating via a video link. The meeting was attended by Secretary Mines and Minerals Babar Aman Babar, DG Mines, Additional Commissioner Rawalpindi, RPO Rawalpindi, DPO Attock, and DC Attock via video link. The committee expressed concern over the illegal transportation of placer gold from the River Indus in Attock, discussing the sensitivity and importance of the issue in detail.

Various measures to prevent unauthorised placer gold mining were deliberated. The committee decided to prepare a mechanism to prevent illegal mining of placer gold in areas declared restricted by the Defence Ministry. Sher Ali Gorchani emphasised the need for a permanent police checkpoint to prevent criminal activities and unauthorised placer gold mining in the River Indus.

The committee decided to implement Section 144 to halt all mining activities within the District Attock along the River Indus. A mechanism will be established to identify and recover stolen placer gold from the past.