Kohat Illegal Gold Mining: Kundi Suspends All Leases
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has suspended gold mining across the province and revoked all mining leases, after linking Kohat illegal gold mining to terrorism funding.
Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar on Saturday, Kundi said the province would show zero tolerance, and an exemplary operation would follow against those behind the Kohat attack and their facilitators.
The scale of Kohat illegal gold mining
The governor said 8,350 trucks, 3,660 excavators, 1,730 tractor trolleys fitted with dynamos, 1,600 dumpers and 200 heavy loaders were in use at the sites. Between 49,000 and 51,000 labourers worked in the mines, and 90 kilogrammes of gold had been extracted illegally in a single month.
He put the trade at Rs4.92 billion a month, in blocks C and D, and said 80 per cent of the profits were sent to Afghanistan and used for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
He said the miners paid extortion money to the terrorists and received protection in return, and that nexus was responsible for the martyrdom of the police personnel. The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan was receiving money from gold mining in Kohat, he added, and Afghan commanders were collecting extortion payments.
Kundi said a Youth Committee formed in February 2026 under a Taliban leader, Naimatullah alias Commander, collected Rs800,000 from locals and Rs110,000 from non-locals every week for use against Pakistan and its forces.
What the governor announced
All gold mining leases stand revoked with immediate effect, and leaseholders must remove heavy machinery within a week or it will be seized. Fines can reach Rs2 million under the law, far above the Rs25,000 or Rs30,000 imposed by magistrates in the past, and Kundi said the government was investigating why fines had not been imposed in line with the law so far.
A new policy will come within three weeks, and contractors have been told to leave the province within a week, after which strict action will follow.
Kundi also announced a task force, named after martyred Deputy Superintendent of Police Haider Zaman, and a judicial commission headed by a retired Peshawar High Court judge to investigate the incident.
Politicians named by the governor
Kundi named former law minister Aftab Alam, Sheryar Afridi, Khurram Zeeshan and Amjad Afridi, along with the brother of former chief minister Sohail Afridi, as involved in illegal mining. He claimed 12 politicians were involved, and said political figures had also been implicated in the Kohat incident.
He said anyone found involved, political or not, would face punishment under the law, and the government had burnt its boats in the fight against terrorism.
Why the crackdown follows the Kohat attack
The announcement comes days after 10 police personnel were martyred in Kohat while returning from an operation against illegal mining. The governor said they were targeted by Fitna al-Khawarij, the term the state uses for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. Our earlier report covered the attack, and the prime minister paid tribute to the martyred policemen.
Kundi said the province had completed one month under emergency measures, and keeping law and order was its top priority. He said the government would not allow anyone to loot the province’s resources.
He added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa held significant mineral reserves and would seek a minerals agreement better than the one involving Reko Diq. The sector drew attention this week, with 13 agreements signed at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum and provinces offering security guarantees to mineral investors.
Frequently asked questions
Why has gold mining been suspended in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi suspended gold mining and revoked all leases, saying 80 per cent of the profits were going to Afghanistan and funding terrorism.
How big was the illegal gold mining operation in Kohat?
The governor cited 8,350 trucks, 3,660 excavators and up to 51,000 labourers, and put the trade at Rs4.92 billion a month, with 90 kilogrammes of gold extracted illegally in one month.
Who did Governor Kundi name over illegal mining?
He named former law minister Aftab Alam, Sheryar Afridi, Khurram Zeeshan and Amjad Afridi, along with the brother of former chief minister Sohail Afridi. He claimed 12 politicians were involved.
What happens to mining machinery and leases now?
All leases stand revoked. Leaseholders must remove machinery within a week or it will be seized. Fines can reach Rs2 million, and a new policy will come within three weeks.
What was the Kohat incident that led to the ban?
Ten police personnel were martyred in Kohat while returning from an operation against illegal mining. The governor announced a task force and a judicial commission over the incident.
