PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has summoned the director general of Mines and Minerals in person at the next hearing in a petition filed by placer gold mining lease-holder company Himalaya Earth Exploring seeking allotment of mining area and removal of restrictions on mining activities.
The case was heard by a two-member bench comprising Justice Ejaz Anwar and Justice Farah Jamshed on Wednesday.
Counsel for the petitioner, Junaid Anwar Advocate, informed the court that the company had submitted all required documents, obtained the lease worth over Rs1 billion, and deposited 25 percent of the amount, but the mining site had still not been allotted.
The petitioner’s lawyer stated that Section 144 had been imposed in the area since August 2025, while illegal mining activities were continuing unchecked.
The counsel requested the court to order the removal of restrictions on mining and direct authorities to allot the leased area to the company.
The additional advocate general told the court that restrictions were imposed due to illegal mining and that lease-holders were also required to obtain consent from local communities.
A representative of the Mines and Minerals Department informed the bench that Section 38 of the Mining Act requires lease-holders to seek permission from local residents before commencing operations.
Justice Ejaz Anwar questioned whether lease-holders were expected to operate entirely at their own risk, observing that such disputes had previously led to loss of lives.
He remarked that if companies were left to negotiate disputes with locals on their own, it could lead to “civil war-like situations,” asking where the writ of the government stood in such circumstances.
The court issued notices to the DG of Mines and Minerals and adjourned proceedings until the next hearing.
