PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has ordered a thorough investigation into alleged large-scale irregularities in the auction of placer gold mining blocks along the Kabul and Indus rivers. The move comes after serious violations were flagged in the process, prompting immediate intervention at the provincial cabinet level.
According to officials, the inquiry will scrutinize the determination of reserve prices, operational violations, and the overall transparency of the gold mining auction process. A formal notification has directed the committee to present its findings within 15 days.
The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. During the session, the Secretary of Minerals briefed the cabinet on critical observations raised by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). These included flawed feasibility studies, irregularities in fixing reserve prices, absence of mandatory No Objection Certificates (NOCs), violations of environmental laws, unsafe mercury usage, subletting of leases, and failure to provide income and sales records.
The secretary recommended that the ongoing mining process be suspended immediately. However, after consultation, the cabinet opted instead for an urgent high-level inquiry to ensure accountability and prevent further losses.
Following the decision, the Administration Department issued a notification constituting the inquiry committee. The body will be chaired by the Chief Ministerâs Adviser on Anti-Corruption, Brigadier (R) Musadiq Abbasi, and will include the Chairman of the Provincial Inspection Team, the Advocate General of KP, and a retired Mines Department officer, Engineer Fazal Raziq.
The committeeâs mandate extends beyond examining the irregularities identified by NAB. It has also been tasked with reviewing feasibility reports, the conduct of auctions, the role of district administrations, and potential negligence or complicity of government officials involved in the process.
Meanwhile, a crackdown has been launched against illegal mining operations along the Indus River in Swabi, Nowshera, and Kohat districts. Authorities have invoked Section 144 to immediately halt all unauthorized activities. Heavy machinery, equipment, and vehicles used in unlawful mining have been seized.
Officials recalled that NAB had previously highlighted massive financial losses, running into trillions of rupees, caused by irregularities in placer gold auctions. The provincial government has pledged to pursue the matter rigorously and ensure strict accountability, stressing that the inquiryâs outcome will shape future reforms in the mining sector.
