KOHAT, May 11: Work at 40 coal pits in Darra Adam Khel has again been stopped due to a dispute over distribution of profits among sub-clans of the Akhorwal tribe.

Three sub-clans of the tribe — Pirwal Khel, Balaki Khel and Garia Khel, which own the land where some coal reserves have been discovered — are demanding distribution of profits in line with the annual stipend paid to maliks by the government for each tribe, according to the office of the deputy administrator of Frontier Region of Kohat on Thursday.

The mining company tried to resume the work but tribesmen blocked the supply of wood required to support the roofs of the pits.

The work was completely stopped on Thursday following the arrest of 15 elders of the three sub-clans. The assistant political agent, Capt (retd) Tariq, had summoned the elders and asked them to resolve the dispute.

They were, however, put in the lock-up of the assistant political agent after they failed to agree on a profit distribution formula.

District coordination officer Syed Shahab Shah, who is also the administrator of Frontier Region of Kohat, conveyed to the elders that they would not be released until they resolved the issue permanently.

The three sub-clans receive about Rs37,000 a day at the rate of Rs1,500 per truck of coal. Seven thousand rupees are paid to the political administration and Rs11,000 to the provincial mineral department as tax and profits from the pits.

The suspension of work at the mines has rendered 5,000 daily-wage earners jobless.

Work at the sites remained suspended from 2003 to 2006 because of a dispute between the sub-clans and mining companies. The work was resumed after the parties agreed on a net profit distribution formula.