Minerals bill a bid to usurp resources: Mian Iftikhar

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Thursday rejected the proposed “Mines and Minerals Bill 2025,” terming it a direct violation of the 18th Constitutional Amendment and a calculated move to usurp the resources of the smaller provinces, particularly those of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Addressing a meeting of Malgari Ustazan, an association of ANP affiliated teachers, at Bacha Khan Markaz in Peshawar, Mian Iftikhar accused the federal authorities of pushing the bill through secretly, bypassing consultation with key stakeholders and the public.

Mian Iftikhar claimed that the draft bill had been sent from the centre to the provinces three times without public knowledge and involved the input of two foreign consultants during its formulation.

“The Constitution is no longer being upheld in Pakistan. Powerful circles are imposing their will on the nation, and this bill is part of a broader scheme to centralise control over provincial natural resources,” he went on to add.

The ANP leader also alleged that networks involved in terrorism were being deliberately strengthened to facilitate the illegal extraction and theft of minerals. Mian Iftikhar disclosed that the US had previously opposed the illegal transfer of minerals and instead advised curbing provincial authority through legal means. He further claimed that while the

bill had already been quietly passed in several provinces, it was facing strong

resistance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“The ANP’s legal team has thoroughly reviewed the bill and declared it unconstitutional. This is a black law - more dangerous than even the Kalabagh Dam project,” he claimed.The ANP leader announced a full-scale public movement against the bill, vowing to mobilise people across the province to protect their rights and natural resources. He urged all democratic forces to unite and resist what he described as a “violation of the Constitution.”

The meeting was chaired by Amjad Turakai, president of Malgari Ustazan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and attended by district-level office-bearers, general secretaries, and organisational heads from across the province. In addition to discussing internal restructuring and organizational matters, the meeting unanimously rejected the Mines and Minerals Bill 2025.