PESHAWAR: The owners of Akhorwal coal mines in Darra Adamkhel have demanded of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan to play his role to reopen the mines.

Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday, a group of people led by Akhorwal Youth and Students Union president Ziaullah said that work on the coal mines had been suspended since March 23, 2020 that left thousands of people jobless.

He said that the local elders had signed a 10-point agreement with representatives of 18 coal mines companies that enabled the locals and labourers belonging to different parts of the province to earn their livelihood but the mines were closed due to alleged interference by some influential people.

“Eighteen companies were working in coal zone of Darra Adamkhel. All the companies are bound by a 10-point contract with the Kohat administration and security agencies since 2017, however, one of the companies has closed coal zone since March 23 this year in violation of the contract. It has put jobs of more than 20,000 labourers, mostly from Shangla and Swat, at stake,” he said.

Mr Ziaullah said that the coal mines were main source of income for the local tribal people to meet their routine expenses. He said that closure of mines caused serious financial problems to them.

He said that many of the owners of the mines were widows and orphans, who had no other source of income. If the mines were not reopened immediately, the people would face serious financial problems, he added.

Mr Ziaullah said that hundreds of people, including students, belonging to different tribes had staged protest demonstration in Peshawar and Kohat against closure of the coal zone but the officials of relevant departments were least bothered to fulfil their responsibility in that regards.

He demanded of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and Governor Shah Farman to take personal interests in resolution of the dispute so that the people could continue earning their livelihood.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2020