Humayun Khan
PESHAWAR: Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Justice Qaiser Rashid remarked that the time has come to bring Mines and Minerals department under discipline because the department had granted leases illegally for happiness of legislators, on Tuesday.
The Chief Justice also remarked that how officers of Mines and Minerals can claim fair salaries because rivers and archeological sites did not safe from their activities. During hearing of case regarding excavation near archeological sites at Mardan and Swabi districts by divisional bench in which Director Archeology Dr. Abdul Samad and Additional Advocate General Syed Sikandar Hayat Shah appeared before PHC.
Director Archeology submitted report before court and informed that 12 leases were granted within one kilometer diameter of archeological sites. He added that 24 crashing plants are also active which is harmful for archeological sites due to blasting.
Moreover, Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid observed that court didn’t causing unemployment but if commercial activities are destroying archeological and historical sites then unemployment is better than destruction and directed Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to appear before court at 12:00 PM.
After resuming of hearing Deputy Commissioner Mardan appeared while Additional Advocate General Syed Sikandar Shah informed that Chief Secretary cannot able to appear before court due to scheduled meeting.
Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid directed Mines and Minerals department to acquire property within one kilometer radius of archeological sites and compensate owners in accordance with law and to cancel illegal leases. The divisional bench of PHC directed to refrain property outside one kilometer radius to owners while directed Department of Archeology to submit report in this regard on next hearing.
