KP CS, secretary defence issued notices in copper mining project

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary, secretary Mines and Minerals Department and secretary defence in a writ petition seeking provision of information and details about the expenses incurred and income received from the natural resources, particularly the excavation of copper from Muhammad Khel Copper Mining Project (MKCMP) in North Waziristan tribal district.

A division bench of the PHC comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Dr Khurshid Iqbal heard the petition filed by Malik Ajmal Khan advocate to provide information to citizens regarding the income from the excavation of copper from MKCMP in North Waziristan.

TV senior anchorperson Hamid Mir, federal ministries of defence and interior, KP CS, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company (KPEZDMC) and others have been made respondents.

The petition said that every citizen had the right to know about the expenses, income and royalty received from the federal government.It added that the KP had abundant natural resources, including oil, gas, copper chromite, gold and other mines and minerals but the people of this province were not being provided any information about it.

It said that the relevant authorities had disclosed in a programme with Hamid Mir that KP had the second biggest reserves of copper, which fetch huge foreign exchange for the country and province.

Muhammad Khel Copper Mining Project (MKCMP) is a signature project of Frontier Works Organization, located in North Waziristan district. It is the second largest copper mining project after Saindak.The project has achieved all facets of mining through Pakistani HR with employment of 65 percent locals.