CHITRAL, Aug 21: MNA from Chitral Shahzada Mohiuddin has warned the provincial government that if it doesn’t review its policy to award lease permits to outsiders to explore the mineral wealth of Chitral, the locals will force them out of the area.

Addressing a press conference here the other day, he expressed his deep apprehensions over the decision of the government to lease out the sites of different minerals to the outsiders neglecting the local aspirants who fulfilled all the formalities and conditions.

“The residents of Chitral will never allow the outsiders to trespass on their area in pursuit of minerals and will kick them out of the district,” he warned.

The lawmaker said mining activity involving locals could help reduce abject poverty and large-scale unemployment in the region, but regretted that the provincial government was adamant not to engage locals in the field.

This behaviour of the government has caused heart-burning and unrest among the locals who are not ready to compromise on the issue at any cost, he said.

Mr Mohiuddin said the Hindukush Range running from Baroghil to Arandu was full of both metallic and non-metallic minerals, which he demanded, should only be exploited by locals.

He also warned the outsiders not to take part in the process of obtaining lease permits in Chitral otherwise they will lose their preliminary investment as the local people will force them out.—Correspondent