BAJAUR: People of minerals-rich Bara Kamangara locality of Nawagai tehsil here on Friday held a protest demonstration against the authorities for awarding mining leases to an influential person without taking them on board.

Scores of residents belonging to different tribes took part in the demonstration held outside the Nawagai police station.

The protesters blocked the main Bajaur-Peshawar road to traffic for about two hours and raised slogans against the district administration and provincial mineral department for issuing mining leases to an influential person without their consent.

They recalled that according to the mineral department’s regulations set for issuing mining leases in the district, the consent of local residents was obligatory.

However, they claimed that both the department and the administration failed to follow the rules and issued the leases to an influential person without taking them on board.

The protesters termed the agreement against regulations and an injustice with hundreds of stakeholders. They asked the officials to respect the rules and withdraw the agreement with immediate effect.

They warned that they would launch a protest movement if their demand wasn’t accepted within four days.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2022