Award of mining leases to non-locals protested.

BAJAUR -- Residents of Gondo area of Khar tehsil here on Saturday held a protest demonstration against the alleged award of mining leases to non-local persons without their consent.

Scores of residents holding black flags participated in the protest held near the main Khar-Nawagai road.

The protesters claimed that the mineral department and district administration had awarded mining leases in their area to some influential non-local persons a week ago.

They termed it an injustice with the residents and a clear violation of the mineral department's policy to take the local residents on board before issuing mining leases in tribal districts.

The protesters did not name the influential people who obtained the leases.

The protest later ended peacefully after a delegation of elders led by Senator Hidayatullah Khan met with Gondo area elders and assured...