Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has named political figures belonging to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in connection with illegal gold mining activities in the province.
Addressing the issue, the governor said around 12 political figures from different parties were involved in backing illegal mining operations, adding that almost all major political parties, with one or two exceptions, had links to the activities.
The PTI figures named by the governor include former provincial minister Aftab Alam, MNA Shehryar Afridi, Senator Khurram Zeeshan, former Gambat tehsil nazim and chairman Sajid Iqbal, and former Lachi tehsil chairman Ehsan.
Former PPP MPA Amjad Afridi was also named, while the JUI-F figures identified by the governor include Seth Gohar Saifullah, Naseem Afridi and Imad Azam.
Other individuals named include former finance adviser Muzammil Aslam, Naveed, brother of former chief minister Sohail Afridi, Azhar Bukhari, a close relative of Senator Khurram Zeeshan, and Nazir Afridi, the senator’s media coordinator.
Governor Kundi also announced the cancellation of the gold mining lease in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Illegal gold mining causes billions in losses
The governor said approximately 90 kilogrammes of gold worth Rs4.2 billion was being extracted illegally from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa every month.
He said more than 2,000 excavators were being used in illegal mining operations, with Kohat emerging as a major centre of the activity.
According to Kundi, around 80% of the gold extracted from the province was smuggled into Afghanistan, causing billions of rupees in losses to the national exchequer.
He also questioned the proposed 10-year mining lease worth Rs4.92 billion, saying the amount was far below the estimated value of the gold extracted in a single month.
The governor described the arrangement as a loss of national resources and public revenue, and highlighted the connection between illegal mining and what he termed a ‘terror-crime nexus’.
