Seminar asks KP Assembly to reject minerals bill

MINGORA: The participants of a seminar on Monday urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to reject the proposed Mines and Minerals Bill 2025 after terming it an attempt to take control of the provincial resources.

The awareness seminar was organized at the Swat Press Club under the auspices of the Pakhtun Students Federation (PSF). It was attended by ANP Swat workers, members of Malgari Wakeelan, PSF members, and students from various colleges. The participants rejected the proposed bill and announced the launch of a protest movement against it.

Addressing the participants, ANP’s Secretary for Religious Affairs, Maulana Khanzeb, ANP Swat District President Sher Shah Khan, PSF President Haris Bacha, and other speakers stated that the bill was a conspiracy to bring the mineral resources of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under federal control and an attempt to usurp the province’s resources, which will not be accepted under any circumstances. They warned that if the bill was forcibly implemented, a protest movement would be launched across the province.

The ANP leaders said the party would take every possible step to protect the rights of its people and future generations. They announced the plans to convene an All Parties Conference soon to formulate an effective strategy against the bill.

The speakers said that an awareness campaign would be launched in universities and colleges, with seminars and debates organized to engage every section of society in the movement. In addition, protests would be held at the village council level in June and at the tehsil level in July.

The speakers asserted that after the 18th Amendment, minerals fell under provincial jurisdiction, and any attempt to limit provincial autonomy through new legislation would amount to open defiance of the Constitution. The speakers added that efforts are being made to bring all mineral projects under federal control through the proposed new law.