PESHAWAR   -  Elders of Chamkani Gandao Kurram tribal district Thursday called upon Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and other high ups to take notice of the closure of soapstone mines by district administration allegedly on the behest of some local influential people.

Addressing a press conference here, Malak Miran Gul, Malak Sefoor, Malak Salim Khan and Gulab Syed said that due to closure of soapstone mines, hundreds of people had lost their jobs. These mines, they alleged, had been closed by the district administration on request of some local powerful elements.

Revenue being generated and deposited in the national exchequer from the mines has stopped after the closure, they said, adding that everything was going well but certain people denied accepting paying Rs5,000 per soapstone truck to Haji Khel tribe under a deal after a dispute on mountain ownership.

Resultantly, Commissioner Kohat Tutahir Zeb, DC Kurram Zubir and AC Azmat Wazir closed soapstone mines, they said. Apart from that, at least 60 locals belonging to Chamkani tribe have been arrested by the local administration to pressurise them, they said.

Not only this, they said that road leading to Chamkani Gandau has also been closed down for all sort of traffic. They alleged that the local administration was doing all this to create misunderstanding among local tribes; if so, it would cause a big tension in the area and the government would be responsible if any untoward incident happened in this regard, they said.

They asked Prime Minister Imran Khan, CJ Saqib Nisar and other high ups to take note of the situation; otherwise they would close down roads in Kurram Agency, besides setting up a protest camp in front of PM residence in Bani Gala, Islamabad.