Elders in Mohmand protest Mines and Mineral Act

GHALLANAI: The social and political figures here on Tuesday staged a protest and urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to withdraw the Mines and Minerals Amendment Act.

Speaking at the demonstration held outside the Mohmand Press Club here, Jangraiz Khan, Mian Lal Badshah, Malik Sadbar Khan, Naveed Ahmad, Firdaus Khan Safi, Mir Afzal Mohmand, Haji Behram Khan, Fazal Hadi and others said that the tribal people would resist the Mines and Minerals Amendment Act.

The speakers said that the government must reinstate the sacked Khassadar personnel and open Pak-Afghan border at Gorsal point to facilitate trade between the two countries. The protesters staged a sit-in on the Peshawar-Bajaur road and blocked it for vehicular traffic for an hour. They alleged that the government had grabbed the mines and minerals and other resources in the erstwhile tribal areas in the garb of merger and development.

The protesters urged the government to withdraw the hastily passed Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill or else they would launch a protest movement for their rights.