PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Wednesday directed the provincial government to produce the details of the archaeological sites declaring mining shouldn’t be allowed in the immediate neighbourhood.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Syed M Attique Shah also directed the government to continue with the action against mining activities, including crushing of stones, near such sites in line with its orders.

Last month, the high court had ordered a halt to mining activities near archaeological sites and had ordered the director archaeology and museums, Dr Abdul Samad, to act as focal person on this issue before the court.

During the last hearing, the court had taken notice of mining activities near archaeological sites in Tarali area of Mardan, Rani Gatt in Buner, and Barikot.

Declares no one will be allowed to harm such places

The bench on Wednesday ordered the director (archaeology), EPA deputy director Mumtaz Ali and deputy commissioners of the relevant districts to jointly point out archaeological sites in whose vicinity no excavation should take place.

The bench observed that the court didn’t want to order an ‘undue’ halt to mining activities and create problems for ordinary people, but it won’t allow anything to threatening heritage sites.

The chief justice observed that the court had to protect heritage sites in the province, so it won’t allow anyone to carry out stone crushing and mining activities in their vicinity.

He expressed annoyance at the performance of the mining department observing that the department has been playing havoc with national heritage by giving mining licences near such sites.

Dr Abdul Samad informed the bench that stone crushing was carried out near different archaeological sites in Mardan but it had been stopped and action had been taken against those responsible for it.

He said the department had been monitoring such sites to check such activities in the vicinity.

Additional advocate general Syed Sikandar Hayat Shah told the bench that the mining department and Mardan district administration had arrested several people over illegal mining near heritage sites.

Mardan deputy commissioner Habibullah Arif told the bench that he had been monitoring such a crackdown and had got stone crushing and excavation stopped near archaeological places.

He said despite weekly holiday on Sunday, teams of district administration raided different places and made arrests.

The bench directed him to continue with the operation and not to accept pressure of influential persons during that action.

It also asked the DC that if anyone tried to interfere in his work on that matter, he should inform it about it for action.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2021