The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has been moved to take action against the use of mercury in gold mining activities in Kohat, which, according to petitioners, is causing widespread environmental pollution and posing serious health risks.
The petition, filed as public interest litigation, was submitted by former Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Amjad Khan Afridi and other Kohat residents through Advocate Nouman Muhib Kakakhel. It has been placed before the court’s green bench, which handles environmental matters.
The petitioners allege that miners in Kohat are using mercury in unsafe practices, including burning it and dumping the waste in the Indus River and nearby agricultural lands. These activities, they claim, are contaminating the air, water, and soil, with harmful effects on humans, animals, aquatic life, and plant ecosystems.
This case sheds light on the growing concerns over environmental degradation caused by unregulated mining practices in Pakistan.
“The use of mercury in gold mining is not only dangerous to public health but also has devastating consequences for the environment,” the petitioners’ counsel stated. He emphasized that these activities violate Pakistan’s Environment Protection Act and Mines and Minerals Act, as well as the country’s international obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a treaty designed to regulate and reduce mercury use globally. The petition further argued that a healthy environment is a constitutional right in Pakistan following the 26th Constitutional Amendment.
The petition called for the court to declare the use of mercury in gold mining unconstitutional and to direct authorities to enforce stricter regulations to prevent further environmental damage.
The petitioners urged the court to take swift action and warned that unchecked pollution not only endangers local ecosystems but also the livelihoods of communities dependent on agriculture and clean water. The PHC green bench will hear the case in the coming days.
