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NAB exposes trillions lost in KP placer gold mining deals

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NAB exposes trillions lost in KP placer gold mining deals


Nowshera’s district administration launch crackdown against illegal gold mining along the banks of the Indus River in Jabi area in Nizampur on Oct 5, 2024. — Facebook/DCNowshera
  • NBA concerned over minimum price fixed for gold blocks’ auction.
  • Leaseholders openly engaging in subletting: NAB.
  • KP govt auctioned placer gold blocks at high prices: Gandapur.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), expressing strong reservations over the minimum price fixed for auction of gold blocks along the Indus and Kabul rivers, has stated the province is suffering losses worth trillions. It has also exposed irregularities during gold exploration operations.

According to official documents of provincial government, NAB maintains leaseholders are openly engaging in subletting and charging Rs500,000 to Rs700,000 per excavator per week. Their weekly income is estimated between Rs750 million to Rs1 billion, amounting to trillions, while the government is receiving only a meager amount.

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur told this correspondent his government auctioned the placer gold blocks at high prices. Previously, the auction price of a single block had reached Rs650 million, but his government fixed the minimum price at Rs1.10 billion and sold four blocks for around Rs4.6 billion for ten years. For the past 20 years no auction had taken place, and people had been extracting gold illegally, he said.

The chief minister said the project was advertised two to three times, but the bids were low. His government auctioned it at higher rates. He questioned why the study started in 2023 was stopped and who stopped it.

He said when the auction was held, a letter was sent to the NAB and one of its officers was also present. He said all legal requirements were fulfilled. The CM said operations are continuing to stop illegal mining.

According to available documents, in a high-level meeting held at NAB headquarters on August 7 and attended by top provincial officials, including Chief Secretary KP and Secretary Minerals, the NAB’s inquiry disclosed reserve price of gold blocks was deliberately miscalculated. The 2015 study by the National Centre of Excellence in Geology, Peshawar, which had identified gold reserves ranging from 0.21 to 44.15 grams per ton, was also ignored. Instead of following KP Auction Rules 2022, the department intervened to benefit specific bidders.

Furthermore, the geological mapping project launched in 2022 for new mineral resource estimates was halted in November 2023 only in the case of placer gold, raising suspicions of deliberate concealment. Previous auctions had also failed due to poor publicity which failed to attract international investors.

The documents show under the auction rules, if an agreement is not finalised within 14 days, the offer should be withdrawn. However, despite delays of months, contracts and allotment letters were issued. Mining operations even continued in November 2024 despite a stay order from the Peshawar High Court.

The NAB highlighted serious violations by the leaseholders, such as not conducting environmental impact assessments, not obtaining NOCs from Environmental Protection Agency, failing to install processing plants, not following exploitation schemes, not submitting production or sales records, dangerously using mercury and illegally employing unskilled miners.

According to the NAB, more than 1,500 excavators are operating illegally in the area. Leaseholders are charging Rs500,000 to Rs700,000 per excavator weekly, thus earning Rs750 million to Rs1.05 billion per week. It is estimated trillions have already been earned, while the government is being paid only a token amount.



Originally published in The News





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‘Stranger Things’ Jamie Campbell Bower on Vecna transformation: ‘Hideous’

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‘Stranger Things’ Jamie Campbell Bower on Vecna transformation: ‘Hideous’


Jamie Campbell Bower on Vecna transformation

Vecna, there’s a lot of talk about the character’s makeover in the new season of Stranger Things, and it didn’t take long for fans to notice that something has changed. 

Jamie Campbell Bower has returned as the terrifying villain in the first volume of season five, and viewers were quick to point out his sharpened look, especially that slim waist.

One fan on X asked why Vecna appeared so different this time around, pointing out the “branches on his shoulder” and “slimmer waist.” 

Jamie didn’t miss the chance to keep things light, replying with one word: “Zumba.”

After being nearly burned alive by Nancy Wheeler at the end of season four, the villain formerly known as Henry Creel is back in Hawkins with longer vines across his shoulders and head, and visible marks from the injuries he sustained. 

While still large and imposing, his new appearance is much leaner than before.

For Jamie, the changes are tied to Vecna’s journey and what he has endured. 

Speaking about the transformation in an interview with Screen Rant, he said, “Well, as we saw at the end of season four, Vecna suffered a fall and obviously was sort of almost burned alive. My understanding of it is that the reason he looks the way he does now is a byproduct of partly of that process. And also, just having spent more time, not in the human world as it were.”

Jamie continued, “He’s become more resentful and hideous within that process and part of the world in which he was thrown into.” 

He also explained that stepping into this evolved version of the character took even more work behind the scenes. 

“I speak about this often,” he said, adding that extra pieces were added to the suit to bring his presence to life. The makeup alone took around eight hours to complete.

Jamie teased Vecna’s return before the season dropped as well. 

Back in October, he posted a clip of the character walking through the Upside Down with the caption, “At long last, we can begin. @strangerthingstv Hi x.”

With Stranger Things Vol. 1 now streaming, fans won’t have to wait long for the rest. Vol. 2 lands on Dec. 25, and the finale arrives Dec. 31. 

Vecna is officially back, and more frightening than ever.





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John Travolta gives ‘Greased Lightnin” a Santa-inspired revival

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John Travolta gives ‘Greased Lightnin” a Santa-inspired revival


John Travolta dresses up as Santa for Capital One ad

John Travolta is giving fans a nostalgic holiday surprise by channeling his iconic Grease character Danny Zuko, this time dressed as Santa Claus.

The actor, 71, stars in a new Capital One commercial where he appears in a workshop-style garage, decked out as Santa and eyeing a high-tech sleigh. 

While checking out the vehicle, Travolta goes into character and jokes, “Ho, ho, ho, ho. Why, this sleigh could be frost-o-matic, tinsel-matic, 1.5% cash back-o-matic.” 

He follows it up with an unmistakable throwback line, “It’s Greased Lightnin’,” while paying with a Capital One card.

Travolta then jumps into a playful reenactment of the famous Greased Lightnin’ performance, complete with dance moves and support from Santa’s elves, plus a reindeer in sunglasses. 

He ends the commercial with the tagline, “Ho, ho, ho — what’s in your wallet?” before the sleigh takes off into the sky.

This isn’t the first time Travota has nodded to his most memorable roles in Capital One ads. 

Last year, he partnered with Samuel L. Jackson for a spot filled with Pulp Fiction references. 

The 2024 holiday ad also brought back his Santa persona, where he shops online for gifts like hot chocolate, marshmallows and “3,000 bolo ties,” a fun reference to his role as Vincent Vega. 

The ad wraps up with Travolta’s Santa recreating the iconic Pulp Fiction dance scene, set to Chuck Berry’s Run Run Rudolph.

Travolta has shown his love for Grease before too, including a surprise appearance at a Hollywood Bowl sing-along event for the classic movie.

With his latest ad, he brings back the spirit of Greased Lightnin’ in a festive way, mixing Hollywood nostalgia, holiday cheer and a little bit of classic Travolta charm.





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Sean Diddy Combs docuseries raises expectations with new bombshell

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Sean Diddy Combs docuseries raises expectations with new bombshell


50 Cent’s Diddy docuseries promises rare peek into rapper’s career downfall

Sean Diddy Combs’ new documentary, Sean Combs: The Reckoning, is produced by none other than his arch-nemeses, 50 Cent, and the teaser promises to pull back the curtain on the rapper’s scandals and crimes.

The new trailer, which is only 56 seconds long, showed new footage from before the Bad Boy Records founder’s arrest in September 2024, and he appeared visibly worried about losing the legal battle, which hadn’t started yet.

The footage released on December 1 showed the disgraced music mogul scrambling for legal help as he tells his team, “We have to find somebody that’ll work with us that has dealt in the dirtiest of dirty business. We’re losing!”

Social media sleuths flocked to X and shared their curiosity over the documentary, which will be available to stream on December 2.

“50 cent trolling diddy hard with this one,” one X user wrote, while another echoed, “50 been waiting his whole life to drop this bomb on Diddy and tomorrow Netflix finally hands him the mic. All those years of shots fired on Instagram just turned into a whole documentary,” referring to decades-long feud between the two musicians.

“They let 50 produce it? oh he’s COOKINGDDDD somebody up,” chimed in a third, while one reacted, “Oh yeah, this is about to shake the whole internet again.”

While Diddy is serving up to 50 months in prison, 50 Cent has collected never-before-seen footage and explosive information on the former’s Freak Off parties, as well as stories from the accusers, which will be told in the documentary.





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