ISLAMABAD — Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said illegal gold mining in Kohat was linked to terrorism, with 80 per cent of the proceeds going to Afghanistan, and named several politicians whom he accused of being involved in the activity. Addressing a press conference on the Kohat incident on Saturday, Kundi said the province had completed one month under emergency measures and that maintaining law and order was its top priority.
“We will try to move towards improvement,“ he said, adding that the government would not allow anyone to “loot our resources“. The governor said a minerals conference held in Islamabad had been successful, adding that "K-P had significant mineral reserves." He said the "province would seek an agreement on minerals better than the one involving Reko Diq, and invited the international community to invest in its mineral resources." He said that propaganda against mining by some people was preventing the province from progressing. He also said the government had “burnt its boats“ in the fight against terrorism and that an accountability system would now apply to everyone, regardless of whether they were "political or non-political figures." Kundi said an operation had been "underway against illegal gold mines in Kohat" when those seeking to end illegal occupation encountered militants.
Further updates will follow as additional official statements and developments emerge across the pakistan sector.