Mohmand elders seek cancellation of nephrite mines lease

GHALLANAI: The tribal elders here on Saturday asked the Fata Secretariat to cancel the lease of nephrite mines and hand over the control of these mines to local tribespeople.

Speaking at a press conference here, tribal elders including Ajmir, Khad Gul, Khaista Khan and others said the Fata Secretariat had leased out two mines of precious nephrite in Sra Tangi Sur Ghund area in Anbar tehsil of Mohmand Agency to non-local contractors without informing the elders.

They said that the mines were leased out at a throw away price, which was causing huge loss to the local tribespeople.

They alleged that some local influential persons and self-proclaimed representatives were taking millions from the contractors while the local tribespeople were paid a meager Rs15,000 per truck.

Apart from this, they said that the Fata Secretariat also leased out the mines operated by the local tribespeople to non-local contractors which they termed unjust and economic murder of the locals.

They said that the local tribespeople of the nephrite rich deposits area was poor and living a miserable life while the contractors and influential people and non-locals were earning millions from these mines. They said that they lodged several complaints with the political administration in this regard but to no avail.

They demanded Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra to take note of the situation, cancel the lease issued without completing the legal procedure and issue fresh lease in accordance with the mineral policy and in consultation with the local tribal elders.  They threatened to launch a protest campaign if their demands were not accepted.