Despite having several complaints against the gangs involved in stealing tons of precious minerals from one of the country's largest natural resources spreading from Mangopir to Balochistan, the Sindh government has so far appeared toothless to curb this illicit activity.
According to the complaint registered by one of the proprietors of the mineral processing unit, said that numbers of complaints were registered in the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and the Sindh mines and mineral department but both authorities have shown indifference in this connection.
It further said that several gangs are presently active in this illegal extraction of plastic clay, shell clay and yellow-stone, being used in manufacturing of cement and tiles, with the support of the law enforcement agencies and the Sindh mines and mineral department.
It also said that these gangs are paying huge kickbacks to the law enforcers and officials of the Sindh mines and mineral department to run this illicit activity without any hindrance. It said that approximately 150 trucks of shell clay, plastic clay and yellow stones are being transported daily to the cement factories, tiles manufacturing units and port Qasim, providing severe financial shocks in terms of royalty fee to the provincial exchequer.
Moreover, the complaint said that although the Sindh mines and mineral department is authorised to grant lease for 2 years to 30 years by charging 6 percent royalty fee from the miners, these gangs are openly operating without paying single penny to the provincial authorities.