KP’s Mining Empire: 4,917 Licenses, Rs 7.43 ...

Summary

• NAB SUB-OFFICE IN DI KHAN – OPERATION AGAINST SMUGGLING MAFIAS* NAB has established Sub-Office in DI Khan under Grade-20 officer covering DI Khan, Upper Waziristan, South Waziristan and Tank to launch full-spectrum operation against smuggling, black money, Hawala/Hundi, capital flight, NCP vehicles, narcotics, illegal arms, tax evasion.
• Customs convoy attacked by armed men trying to retrieve drugs – attack repelled with help of security forces 5 Upper South Waziristan: Police foiled smuggling of 2 NCP vehicles in Sararogha 6 Customs Islamabad seized Rs 4.59 Billion goods and vehicles in 855 cases July 2025-Sept 2026 *Five Mafias Identified:* Mafia Area & Method **Cross-Border Smuggling Syndicate** Via Angoor Adda, Kharlachi, Mughalkot, Darra Pezu using buses, Prado, Hiace with concealed compartments for illegal weapons, ammunition, imported vehicles, cigarettes **Hawala/Hundi and Black Money Operators** In DI Khan, Tank, Wana bazaars laundering through petrol pumps, plazas, housing societies in DI Khan, Peshawar, Islamabad, Dera Ghazi Khan – linked to capital flight, black money, money laundering, currency smuggling **NCP Vehicle Mafia** With showroom owners in Malakand, DI Khan, Tank, Dera Ghazi Khan **Drug Trafficking Network** Afghan-origin narcotics (Ice, charas, poppy seeds).
• 1,200 kg charas worth Rs 5.4 Billion near M-2 Motorway and 15 kg Ice in DI Khan same network **Tax Evasion Facilitators** Contractors who took advance for small dams in Karak, Kohat and abandoned work, solar tube-wells on private land, tobacco cess evasion, luxury hotels evading FBR taxes, land acquisition and hospital procurement irregularities in DI Khan *Official Statement:* “Our purpose is to conduct full spectrum large-scale operation in those districts where large-scale smuggling, black money, Hawala/Hundi, capital flight, smuggled vehicles, drugs, illegal arms, tax evaders, corruption and assets made through illegal means have become routine.

AI Generated Summary

PESHAWAR / DI KHAN : KP’s mining licenses have grown from 482 in 2010 to 4,917 today, with record revenue of Rs 7.43 billion. Simultaneously, the same districts – DI Khan, Upper Waziristan, South Waziristan and Tank – are now under a full-spectrum operation against smuggling and tax evasion.

_This investigation is based only on Department of Minerals Record March 2025, NAB Investigation August 2025, OGDCL Notifications, and FBR/Customs official data. There is no allegation against Pakistan Army, China, SIFC or the Federal Government in this report._

*1. OFFICIAL LICENSE FIGURES*
Year Licenses Revenue
2010 482 –
2016-17 – Rs 2.17 Billion
2020 1,762 –
Feb 2024 3,962 –
2023-24 – Rs 6.4 Billion
Now (2024-25) 4,917 (4,133 Settled + 784 Merged) Rs 7.43 Billion
Out of 4,917, only *one license is with FWO – Boya Dagan, North Waziristan 2015*. All other 4,916 were issued by the provincial government. FWO’s Muhammad Khel Copper Project is country’s second largest copper site with *3.5 million tons reserves*, 400 workers (70% local), and from 2019 till now *22,000 tons copper extracted.*

In last 18 months, 40 licenses held by private individuals were cancelled as part of corrective measures. Security institutions played a positive role in cancellation to ensure transparency.

*2. THE INDUS GOLD BLOCKS – NAB FINDINGS*

After 20 years of no auction, government auctioned 4 out of 17 blocks in October 2024 for 10 years at *Rs 1.10 billion per block (Total Rs 4 to 4.6 billion)*.
NAB Investigation August 2025 Details
Violation 1 Reserve price kept low
Violation 2 Bidding rules violated
Violation 3 Lease further sublet
Violation 4 No income record, no environmental NOC
Excavator Charge Rs 5 lakh per excavator per week (Second report: Rs 5-7 lakh)
Total Machines 1,500 excavators running
Weekly Earning Rs 1.05 billion per week (Report 2: Rs 75 crore to Rs 1.05 billion)
2015 geological study estimated *0.21 to 44.15 grams gold per ton* was ignored. 2022 mapping stopped in November 2023. 200 illegal machines were seized earlier and FIRs registered by provincial authorities.

Government says blocks given to private companies. No allegation against any federal institution or SIFC.