MANSEHRA: The residents of Oghi have asked government to check illegal mining in the area.

`Our forests, mountains and water fountains have been destroyed owing to the illegal mining, but the government is not taking this as a serious issue,` Zulfiqar Khan, a local elder, told journalists in Oghi.

Flanked by a group of locals, he said that they had already taken the issue with provincial mineral department for remedial measures but to no avail. `Owing to illegal mining, forests are being cut drastically and underground water resources are also plunging rapidly,` said Mr Khan.

He said that heavy vehicles transporting rocks had destroyed the main road linking Shergar and Darband with Oghi and Mansehra. He said that they would hold a protest demonstration if government didn`ttake effective measures to check illegal mining.

COMPUTERS STOLEN: Unidentified person took away computers and other machines and broke doors and windowpanes of a building meant for setting up passport office in Judbah area of Torghar district.

`The construction of the passport offices building was completed in 2018. The government had planned to issue passports to applicants from next year, but unidentified people took away machines and broke doors and windows of the office,` Maulana Samiullah, a local leader of Jamiat Ulema-iIslam-Fazl told journalists on Saturday.

He said that government hadpurchased computers, machines, air-conditioners and other accessories required for the passport office through a tendering process in 2019. He said that all the items were missing and some office chairs were scattered there.

Zahid Khan, the district president of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party in Torghar,toldjournaliststhatlocalsaccepted the status of a settled district for the erstwhile tribal belt only on the condition that they would be provided with facilities.

`We are still deprived of development and government offices even after getting the status of settled district in 2011,` he said.

Mr Khan said owing to the government`s apathy, passport offices couldn`t be inaugurated since 2019. Essential machines worth over Rs10 million were taken away by unidentified people, he added.

He said that they would stage a sit-in if the thieves were not arrested.