Minerals in FATA

Shahid Ahmed Afridi

FRONTIER POST

Sending an sneering message to President Barack Obama, Congressman Walter Jones has criticized a deal between the Afghan government and China's National Petroleum Corp that allows China to be the first foreign country to access Afghanistan's oil and natural gas reserves in Sari Pul and Faryab, an area known as Amu Darya River Basin. Flurry of action is on to grapple the natural resources of the entire region. A large natural reservoir has been identified not only in Afghanistan but in the FATA region as well. In the past, ungoverned space of the FATA provided the bases for all types of illegal businesses, including drugs and weapons smuggling. Mild alteration of the old erroneous policy of FATA management is in motion but we are still slow on getting our act together. FATA's evolving socio-economic landscape needs deliberate overview and rumination. The geological surveys of 85 per cent of the tribal belt have revealed immense prospects of mineral exploration. So far, 19 different minerals' deposits have been identified in tribal areas which include; copper, manganese, chromites, iron ore, lead, barite, soapstone, coal, gypsum, limestone, marble, dolomite, feldspar, quartz, silica san, bentonite, marl, emerald and graphite. Mohmand Agency has the largest deposits of marble followed by the adjacent Bajaur Agency. More coal mines are likely to be found in Orakzai Agency, FR Kohat and FR Peshawar region. Only in Shinkai (North Waziristan), an estimated 27,000 million tones of copper reserves exist. If this industry is given proper government attention and the projects designed are properly implemented, they can provide job opportunities to several thousands of individual living here. To streamline the mineral business activity and to develop this industry on the modern lines "The Mineral Development and Trading Organization" is suggested to be formed. There are positive signs of large amount of chromites in NWA. Saidgai, Gharmalai, Dosalli and Mohmad Khan Khel areas have been identified as hotbeds of chromites. A plan has been mapped out to establish Mineral Trading Yard (MTY) at Bannu, machinery pool at Miran Shah; and Ore testing laboratory in Bannu. After consultation with Fata secretariat, there is a plan to purchase 200 acres of land for the purpose. The potential of mineral sector could be better exploited if mineral based industries are set up there. Moreover, without involving the private sector, appropriate technology cannot be made available for exploration and development of minerals. Due to lack of technical know-how tribesmen have been using outmoded methods of mineral extraction. Surface mining with hand tools is resorted to, which is primitive and results in lot of wastage. Mine workers are untrained, work under no safety facilities and have no or very limited machinery like excavator and drills machines. Most of the mines are not connected with roads and tracks, even in the areas where roads/tracks exist; it still needs link tracks up to the mine location. With no revenue department; the agency does not have any land ownership record. Resultantly, a lease is obtained and is used at numerous places with collective ownership. This also results in frequent disputes between tribes and sub-tribes over the mines ownership issue. In many areas crude forms of explosive are used in a non-technical way resulting in loss of large quantities of minerals besides eroding their value. There is a need to improve the productivity of mines and quality of the human resource through intensive trainings specially for blasting and use of modern methods. Establishment of mineral community welfare centre should be established in every agency and FR. However, with its meagre resources, the government cannot allocate the required funds for mineral exploration and development. If there is semblance of hope that life may get better in FATA, it is through the setting of mineral sector and the trade routes to central Asia, Eastern Europe and Russian federation. Let's get away with the concept of close door FATA instead invite the foreigners to explore the minerals, Chinese can be tempted to step in. Can we render fool proof security? Will foreign presence in FATA jeopardize Pakistan's security? Questions arise. Nonetheless, one thing is clear; the creeping prosperity in region would incite tribesmen to hold the pen instead of gun.