QWP opposes proposed changes to law on mines, minerals

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) provincial Chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao on Thursday opposed the proposed amendment to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mines and Minerals Act 2025 and called it an infringement on provincial autonomy and a violation of the spirit of the 18th Constitutional Amendment.

He was speaking at a meeting of party workers at Watan Kor here to review the proposed legislation.Sikandar Sherpao expressed serious concern over the federal government’s role in a matter he described as purely a provincial subject - both before and after the 18th Amendment.

“There is absolutely no room for federal involvement in this domain,” he said, adding that any attempt to give the federal government a role in provincial resources was tantamount to undermining the rights of the province.

During the meeting, various aspects of the proposed law were examined. The party rejected the legislation, stating that the notification of minerals also fell under provincial jurisdiction.

Sikandar Sherpao termed the bill a conspiracy to erode the province’s authority over its own resources and stated that even in the past, when the federation had no role in such matters, provinces were still not granted full rights.

He warned that if the proposed law was enacted, full responsibility for any injustice to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would rest with the provincial government and the parliamentarians who supported the move.

Criticizing the provincial government, Sikandar Sherpao said it appeared the PTI rulers were completely incapable of safeguarding the province’s resources and were willing to sacrifice public interest for personal gain.

He reaffirmed QWP’s principled stance against federal involvement in provincial mineral affairs and vowed to resist any such move. “Only the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have the right to their mineral resources,” he asserted, adding that any form of external dominance or

interference would not be tolerated.