Mine owners reject proposed law on minerals

BARA: The Mines Owners Association of Khyber District on Sunday staged a protest demonstration against the proposed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mines and Minerals Bill 2025.

Holding placards inscribed with slogans, the protesters gathered at Bara Khyber Chowk. They said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should have rights over its resources.They said that proposed legislation was tantamount to economic murder of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The speakers said that the proposed Bill was a complete violation of the 18th Amendment and an attempt to do away with provincial autonomy. The rulers should refrain from snatching the resources from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” they added.

The Mines Owners Association Khyber Chairman Noor Muhammad, Vice President Malik Gulzar Afridi, General Secretary Samin Jan Advocate, Deputy Finance Secretary Hashmat Khan, Malik Anwar Kalakhel, Hafeezullah Shinwari and others were present.

Later, speaking at a press conference, the office-bearers of the Mines Owners Association of Khyber District Asghar Khan Afridi and others said that the Mines and Minerals Bill was aimed at depriving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of its mineral resources.

Asghar Khan said that the Bill was a blatant violation of the 18th Amendment. He added that the people of the tribal areas were already facing a host of problems, therefore, the government should facilitate them to cope with the economic problems.