Khanozai Tribal Leaders Allege Illegal Chromite Transport, Demand Action Against Police Officials
QUETTA: Tribal leaders from Khanozai have alleged that police officials facilitated the illegal transportation of chromite ore and condemned the reported use of force against peaceful protesters, calling for legal action against those responsible.
Addressing a press conference at the Quetta Press Club, tribal leaders Haji Ashfaq Ahmed and Malik Ahmed Wafa, accompanied by other local elders, claimed that operations of Al Jabal Company had been suspended under a written agreement due to an ongoing dispute.
They alleged that trucks loaded with chromite were being escorted under the supervision of police officers despite the suspension. According to the leaders, local elders and residents attempted to stop the vehicles, and when their efforts failed, they staged a peaceful blockade of the highway in protest.
The speakers further alleged that security personnel resorted to firing in an attempt to disperse and intimidate the protesters, describing the incident as condemnable. They maintained that the role of the police is to maintain law and order, not to facilitate the transport of minerals.
The tribal leaders demanded legal action and the transfer of the police officials they accused of involvement in the incident.
They also criticized the implementation of the Balochistan Mines and Minerals Act 2025, alleging that influential individuals were using the law to gain control over local mineral resources and lands. They claimed that court orders directing the allocation of mining rights to local residents were not being implemented.
According to the leaders, local representatives had signed a written agreement with Al Jabal Company stating that no mining activity would continue until the dispute was resolved. However, they alleged that two dump trucks loaded with chromite left the mining site on July 14, prompting the protest.
The allegations made during the press conference have not been independently verified, and no official response from the police or the relevant authorities was immediately available.
