BAJAUR: Authorities on Friday sealed a chromite mine in Barang tehsil for illegal operations and arrested one person.

According to an official statement, the mine was sealed in the mineral-rich Asil Targoo area. Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali Khan, upon receiving the information from local residents about illegal mining in the mineral-rich Asil Targaoo area, dispatched a team comprising officials from the district administration, mineral department, and police, which sealed the site after confirming the unlawful activity, said the statement.

The statement issued by the deputy commissioner’s office said that besides sealing the mining site, the team also arrested a person involved in the illegal extraction of minerals.

It said that first information report was lodged against the arrested person, who was shifted to the Memola police station for further legal action.

In the statement, the district administration vowed to protect precious natural resources and not allow anyone to engage in illegal mineral extraction in the district.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2025