From Sports Associations to Gold Mining? New Business Claims Raise Questions in KP

 

Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator

Peshawar: A new claim involving individuals associated with sports organisations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has raised questions about possible business interests outside the sports sector, including an alleged gold-mining venture on private land.

A promotional message circulating on social media claims that 40 kanals of private land in Daryatik, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is available where gold is allegedly present.

According to the advertisement, interested individuals would have complete freedom to extract gold from the land through their own efforts. The advertisement quotes a rate of Rs2 million per kanal, meaning the total amount for 40 kanals would be approximately Rs80 million.

The advertisement carries the name of Rahmat Gul Afridi, CEO of RGA Consultants, with an office address in Blue Area, Islamabad, and contact numbers for interested persons.

However, the claim that gold exists on the land, as well as the legal status of the proposed mining activity, has not yet been independently verified.

Questions Over the Legal Status of the Land and Mining

The most important questions are not simply whether gold exists there, but whether the proposed activity has received the necessary legal and regulatory approvals.

Several questions require verification:

• Who legally owns the 40-kanal property?
• Is the land actually located in Daryatik, and what is its exact location?
• Has the presence of gold been confirmed through a geological or mineral survey?
• Which government authority has verified the alleged gold deposits?
• Has any mining lease, licence or permit been issued for the site?
• Is the advertised Rs2 million per kanal a land-sale price, lease amount, excavation charge or another form of payment?
• What would be the legal ownership and distribution of any gold extracted from the site?
• Have environmental approvals or other regulatory clearances been obtained?

Until these questions are answered through official records, the gold-mining claim should be treated as an advertisement or allegation, not an established fact.

The matter becomes more significant because questions have also been raised about the involvement of some individuals associated with sports associations and the provincial sports system in business activities outside sports.

There is nothing inherently illegal about a person running a private business simply because they are associated with a sports organisation. The issue becomes relevant when such individuals hold positions involving public funds, government institutions or sports associations and simultaneously have outside commercial interests.

In such cases, the key questions are whether there is any conflict of interest, misuse of official position, use of government resources, or influence arising from their organisational positions.

It should therefore be established whether any sports officials or office-bearers are directly or indirectly involved in the advertised venture and, if so, whether they have disclosed those interests to their respective organisations.

The development also raises broader questions about the functioning of sports associations in KP.

Sports associations are expected to focus on athlete development, competitions, training, talent identification and the promotion of their respective disciplines.

If senior office-bearers are simultaneously involved in significant commercial activities unrelated to sports, the public has a legitimate interest in knowing whether those activities affect their official responsibilities.

The issue is particularly important where the individuals concerned have access to government officials, public funds, sports facilities or other public resources.

The advertisement states a price of Rs2 million per kanal. For 40 kanals, that amounts to approximately Rs80 million.

A transaction of this scale warrants documentary verification.

Authorities should clarify:

1. The ownership and title of the land.
2. The legal basis on which the land is being offered.
3. Whether gold deposits have been scientifically confirmed.
4. Whether a geological survey or feasibility study exists.
5. Whether a valid mining lease or licence has been issued.
6. Whether the proposed excavation complies with provincial mining laws.
7. Whether environmental approval is required and, if so, whether it has been obtained.
8. Who will receive the money advertised at Rs2 million per kanal.
9. Whether any government employee or sports office-bearer has a financial interest in the venture.
10. Whether the individuals involved have declared their business interests to the relevant authorities or organisations.

The KP Sports Directorate, relevant sports associations, and the provincial authority responsible for mines and minerals should be asked for their positions.

The Mines and Minerals authorities, in particular, should clarify whether there is any official record relating to a gold-mining lease, licence, application, geological assessment or other approval for the alleged 40-kanal site in Daryatik.

The relevant sports organisations should also clarify whether any of their office-bearers are involved in the venture and whether such involvement complies with their rules concerning outside business interests and conflicts of interest.

At this stage, it would be premature to conclude that illegal mining is taking place or that any sports official has misused public office.

But the combination of a claim of gold deposits, 40 kanals of land, an advertised price of Rs2 million per kanal, and alleged involvement of people associated with sports organisations warrants further investigation.

The real question is not simply whether "sports officials are now mining gold."

The real questions are:

Does gold actually exist at the advertised site?

Who owns the land?

Who is offering it and on what legal basis?

Has the government authorised the proposed mining activity?

Who stands to benefit financially?

And are any individuals connected to the sports system involved in a way that creates a conflict of interest?

The answers to these questions, backed by official records, land documents, mining licences and financial information, will determine whether this is merely a private commercial offer or a matter involving wider legal, administrative and public-interest concerns.

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Qamar Zaman Squash Court AC Mystery: RTI Reply Raises Questions Over Missing Unit

Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator

ESHAWAR: A response from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports Directorate to a Right to Information (RTI) request regarding air conditioners installed at the Qamar Zaman Squash Court, issued after almost a year, has raised questions over the department's records and the current ground situation.

According to the written response provided by the Sports Directorate, seven air conditioners were installed at the Qamar Zaman Squash Court.

However, the current physical situation at the court does not match the information provided in the RTI response. Only six air conditioners are currently installed at the facility. Four are installed on one side of the court, while two are installed on the opposite side.

Available information indicates that seven air conditioners were originally installed, but one was subsequently removed from the court. Its current location is not known.

The issue becomes more significant because the RTI application was filed after one of the air conditioners had already been removed. Despite this, the Sports Directorate responded almost a year later by stating that seven air conditioners had been installed at the court.

The central issue is therefore not simply the difference of one air conditioner. The more important question is whether the department's official record accurately reflects the current status and location of a government asset.

If seven air conditioners are still recorded as assets of the Qamar Zaman Squash Court, the Sports Directorate should clarify where the seventh unit currently is. If it was transferred to another government facility, office or store, there should be a documented transfer order and a corresponding entry in the stock or fixed-asset register.

Key Questions for the Sports Directorate

·         Where is the seventh air conditioner that was originally installed at the Qamar Zaman Squash Court?

·         When was it removed?

·         Who authorised its removal?

·         Was there a written order for its removal or transfer?

·         Was the air conditioner transferred to another government facility, office or store?

·         Is its current location recorded in the stock register or fixed-asset register?

·         On what official record did the Sports Directorate rely when it stated in its RTI response that seven air conditioners were installed?

·         If seven units remain listed as assets of the Qamar Zaman Squash Court, where is the seventh unit physically located?

·         Why did the department report seven installed air conditioners when the RTI request was submitted after one unit had already been removed?

The air conditioners were installed at the Qamar Zaman Squash Court to provide better facilities for players. Therefore, once a government-funded asset is removed from the facility, its location, custody and accounting record should be clearly traceable.

At this stage, it would be premature to conclude that any financial or administrative wrongdoing has occurred without examining the underlying records. However, the discrepancy between seven air conditioners reported in the official RTI response and six currently found at the facility warrants a clear explanation from the Sports Directorate.

The department should ideally make available the relevant procurement documents, installation records, stock register, fixed-asset register and any transfer or removal order so that the status of the seventh air conditioner can be independently verified.

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