Govt asked to address concerns of mining association

KALAYA: The All Tribal District Mining Association here on Friday asked the government to take the local tribes into confidence before the exploration of the mines in Orakzai and Kurram districts. The members of the association, including Luqman Afridi, Daulat Shah, Ameenullah, Malik Shaheed Khan and others, who were speaking at a meeting, said the government should address their concerns before enacting any laws for the exploration of the minerals or else they would be compelled to stage protests. They complained that though the government collected tax from them, it did not bother to provide electricity, gas, health and education facilities to the local people. The office-bearers said the government should address their concerns if it wanted to bring investors to the area for mining.