Major reforms need of the hour in Mining & Minerals department: CJ

Humayun Khan

PESHAWAR: Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Justice Qaiser Rashid remarked that Mining and minerals department has destroyed archaeological sites while rivers are also does not secure from them because 32 ton minerals are extracting from Kunhar’s river on daily basis and no one owns responsibility, on Tuesday.
This was observed by Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid while two-member bench of PHC along with Justice Syed Arshad Ali hearing cases of leases granted by mining and minerals department in Buner, Mardan and Swat districts.
During hearing Additional Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Raza, Director Archaeology Dr. Abdus Samad, Deputy Commissioner Mardan Habibullah Arif, and counsel for petitioners Barrister Waqar and Amjad Ali Shah Advocate appeared before the court.
Director Archaeology informed PHC that on court’s direction, he visited several sites and cancelled leases within one kilometer radius of archaeological sites which was notified by department of minerals. He added that the department cannot allows the damage of archaeological sites and claimed Deputy Commissioner Mardan is monitoring the situation.
During hearing Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid remarked that major reforms in Department of Mining and Minerals are the need of hour because no one serious with their responsibilities while granted leases which is destroying historical archaeological sites.
Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid further remarked that Department of Minerals has made devastation and added that court did not hurting interest of anyone nor reducing provincial revenue but only protecting historical archaeological sites in Pakhtunkhwa.
The counsel for petitioner informed PHC that the petitioner leases situated outside from one kilometer radius of archaeological sites but their leases were cancelled by grounding the honorable court’s judgment.
On this the Chief Justice remarked that if competent authorities done so then it is wrong and added that court is sending such matters to Director Archaeology Dr. Abdus Samad because he is expert of the subject.
Director Archaeology informed court that mining sites located within radius of Archaeological Spots are illegal and no restrictions had imposed on mining activities outside the radius of one kilometer from historical archaeological places. He added that in this regard report on Mardan district has been submitted before court and added that Buner and Mardan district’s administrations are cooperating.
Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid directed Director Archaeology that court has trust on you while sending all cases to study the matter personally and ordered to submit report before the PHC and adjourned further hearing till 1 February.