Pakistan: locals demand share in Lucky Cement plant project

At a district chapter meeting for the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) activists and office-bearers of Begukhel, Samandi and Darra Tang union councils have called for royalty shares in Lucky Cement and ISL Qaboolkhel uranium plant projects in Lakki Marwat, Pakistan.

Highlighting that both companies had been established on Marwat soil, Imranullah Begukhel, QWP general secretary, alleged that residents of the district have been insufficently served by royalties from both Qaboolkhel and Lucky Cement.

“The Lakki Marwat district has legitimate share in the revenues generated by ISL project and Lucky Cement and the share should be utilised on launching uplift schemes in the district,” Mr Begukhel said. 

He appealed to Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, party central chairman, and Sikandar Sherpao, provincial president, to take up the matter with the approapriate departments of the federal and provincial governments to ensure what it deems to be the approapriate provision of royalties and bonuses to the district.

Lucky Cement has strongly refuted these claims, stating that "the applicable royalty and taxes as per the law of Pakistan are deposited by the company to the relevant authorities." It has also underlined a number of corporate social responsibility projects for the local community surrounding its Pezu plant. Such measures include the Lucky City School, support of the local Women and Children Hospital in Ghaznikhel and steps to curtail the acute water shortage faced by the local community.