Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Saturday announced a province-wide ban on gold mining and the cancellation of all mining leases, days after an attack in Kohat killed 10 police personnel who were returning from an operation against illegal mining.
Addressing a press conference in Peshawar, the governor said an exemplary operation would be launched against the attackers and their facilitators. “There will be zero tolerance for those involved in this,” he said.
He directed leaseholders to remove heavy machinery from the affected areas within one week. Machinery left in place after that period will be seized, he said. Fines will no longer be limited to Rs25,000 or Rs30,000, as imposed under magistrates, but can reach Rs2 million under the law.
He said authorities were also investigating why fines were not imposed in line with the law. Politicians or members of other institutions found involved in illegal mining will be punished under the law, he added.
Governor Kundi said the administration launched the anti-mining operation after emergency and governor’s rule was imposed. The police personnel were targeted by Fitna al-Khawarij while returning from a successful operation, he said.
He said illegal miners paid extortion money to the militants and received protection in return, and that this nexus led to the deaths of the police personnel. The governor shared details of illegal mining activity in Kohat, where operations were under way in two blocks, C and D. He said the activity involved:
- 8,350 trucks
- 3,660 excavators
- 1,730 tractor trolleys with dynamos
- 1,600 dumpers
- 200 heavy loaders
- 49,000 to 51,000 labourers
He said illegal mining was worth Rs4.92 billion a month, and 80 per cent of the profits were sent to Afghanistan and used for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
