PESHAWAR
Elders of the Bosti Khel tribe (Darra Adam Khel), including Malik Zar Muhammad, Malik Syed Asghar, Malik Asghar Khan, Malik Nazarullah, Malik Shah Nawaz, Malik Zar Badshah and other notables, strongly protested what they described as prolonged injustices against their community.
Addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, they said that for the past three years they have been visiting the offices of the Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner in Kohat in pursuit of their basic rights, but have not been provided justice. They stated that illegal mining has been ongoing in Bosti Khel areas for a long time, where coal extraction without proper registration and the excessive use of explosives have continued unchecked, while not a single rupee has been deposited into the national treasury.
According to the elders, a former commander, Shamsheer, who was previously associated with a militant group, allegedly seized control of coal resources under the patronage of the administration and caused losses amounting to billions of rupees to the community under various schemes. They alleged that approximately Rs1.2 billion was collected under the so-called “One Lakh Scheme,” while the public was deprived of its rightful share.
They further said that when the affected community halted coal loading as a form of protest, Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam allegedly used the administration to forcibly resume loading, pushing the area toward unrest. They claimed that their homes were also attacked, yet no action has been taken against those responsible so far.
Serious allegations were also leveled against the district administration. The elders said that the Deputy Commissioner Kohat and Assistant Commissioner Darra Adam Khel enforced one-sided decisions without reviewing complete records. According to them, the decision stated that 60 percent of coal revenue would be given to the public; however, in reality, only a small portion was distributed, while millions of rupees are feared to have been misappropriated.
They added that whenever they raised their voice for justice, they were made to move from one office to another, and instead of resolving the issue, the matter was further complicated.
In conclusion, they demanded that the federal and provincial governments, the judiciary, and relevant institutions conduct a comprehensive audit of coal revenues, take transparent action against those involved, and ensure that the public receives its due share directly. They also called for the immediate cancellation of controversial leases and decisions.
