GILGIT: Pakistan People’s Party leader Imran Nadeem has said that thousands of poor people associated with the mineral sector have became jobless following the ban on issuance of licence and movement of precious stones from GB to other parts of the country.

Speaking at a press conference in Skardu on Monday, he said that there was no ban on mining throughout the country, but it was slapped in GB, which was injustice with the people. He demanded that the ban should be lifted forthwith.

“There is no clear mining policy of the region; while local people are not being given mineral licences non-local companies are getting the same without any trouble,” he observed.

He said that top officials of the GB mineral department were main hindrance to the development of the sector.

“The ban was imposed six years ago, but during that period non-local people are being mineral licences on the intervention of the federal bureaucracy and influential people,” he alleged.

Mr Nadeem said that preparing the mining policy for the region was the task of the GB Council, but it had failed to do so. He warned that if the government didn’t solve the issue the people would take to the streets.

When contacted, GB Council member Wazir Ebadat told Dawn that the council had prepared the mining policy, which would be approved by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as being chairman of the GB Council in the upcoming session of the council on January 5.

SECURITY ON KKH: The Gilgit-Baltistan caretaker chief minister Sher Jahan Mir on Monday said that steps had been taken to ensure safety of travellers on the Karakoram Highway.

Talking to a delegation of Shia Ulema Council, led by its vice-president Sheikh Mirza Ali here on Monday, Mr Mir said that maintaining law and order situation in the region and providing security to people were the priorities of the caretaker government, according a press release.

He said that the government would provide justice to all the affected people of the sectarianism. The government needs masses’ support in rooting out terrorism and maintaining law and order situation, he said.

The Shia Ulema Council delegation comprised Syed Mohammad Ali Shah, Didar Ali, Syed Akhtar Hussain Rizvi, Syed Nizamuddin, Syed Hassan Shah Kazmi, Sheikh Iqbal, Sheikh Munir Hussain, Mohammad Ali Sheikh and Nisar Ali.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters after the meeting, Sheikh Mirza Ali said that they demanded of the caretaker chief minister to give representation in the caretaker cabinet to the Shia Ulema Council members.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2014