Chinese investors threaten to move capital from KP to Balochistan

PESHAWAR: Expressing lack of confidence in the KP provincial government, a representative of a group of Chinese investors threatened to shift their mining projects from KP to Balochistan. The representative has also alleged that Ziauddin Afridi, an advisor of Chief Minister KP Pervaiz Khattak on Mines, was causing hindrances in the ventures. Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, the representative of Chinese Investors Joint Venture, Fu QuinFeng, said the joint venture had been working in Pakistan for the past 17 years. He added that it had been nine months that the KP government had not been providing the investors he was representing with a license. Afridi, who advises Chief Minister Khattak on Minerals, has been creating roadblocks in the way of obtaining a license which was why the investors were interested in taking his business to Balochistan instead, it was alleged. Fu QuinFeng has also demanded that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan take notice of the matter. He said that despite getting reassurances from KP Chief Minister during a meeting held on March 24th to settle the issue, Ziaullah Afrridi refused to meet and resolve the issue and hence the investors decided to move to Balochistan and withdraw their investment from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. QuinFeng said that "because of a lot of pressure and threats from Mr Zia Ullah Afridi, the most powerful government officer in KP, our Chinese investors would have to stop all mining projects, dismiss thousands of Pakistani workers, accept losing huge investments made in KP and go to Balochistan for further mining works. He said that Mr Ziaullah after taking charge had cancelled all the leases, stopped the companies from working without any reason and had directed the firms not to supply extracted antimony ore to China vide letter no 2957 issued by director general Mines and Mineral Department on March 10, 2014. He further said that despite the rules to decide on our application in 90 days, no decision has been made even after the passage of four months and added that when the issue was brought to the notice of the PTI leadership, Mr Ziaullah threatened to cancel all leases. On the other hand, Advisor to the Chief Minister on Mines, Ziaullah Afridi said that that the firm had requested for mining license but they were given a license for Exploration which was against the procedures and inquiry is being conducted against the responsible officers, also the firm carried out illegal minining and export to China. He also claimed that the firms involved in this regard had not fullfilled the legal formalities Afridi said that the Instead of sending samples the firm exported above 500 tons of ore to China and sold it out, which was a violation of Rule 20 B of Mining MCR. He further said that the department have also served notices on the concerned firm and if its reply is found unsatisfactory, the lease will be cancelled ,