- Deputy Speaker, Leader of the Opposition, Law Minister, MPAs, and civil society representatives attend consultative session on the controversial bill at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly
PESHAWAR: A consultative session on the Mines and Minerals Bill 2025 was held at the Old Jirga Hall of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, with Speaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Babar Saleem Swati in the chair who delivered the opening remarks and briefed participants on the bill.
The session was attended by Deputy Speaker Suriya Bibi, Leader of the Opposition Dr Ibadullah, Minister for Law Aftab Alam, members of the Provincial Assembly, officials from relevant departments, lawyers, and representatives from civil society.
The Speaker explained that the session was convened in light of the questions, concerns, and suggestions raised regarding the bill, with the aim of incorporating the views of all stakeholders. He noted that following cabinet approval and the bill’s introduction in the Assembly, it faced scrutiny at various levels, including political circles, civil society, and media discussions, both nationally and internationally.
He stated that a large number of written suggestions and proposed amendments were received from parliamentarians, legal experts, and civil society representatives, which have been duly recorded. These suggestions will be shared with the Principal Secretary and the Department of Minerals for further submission to the Chief Minister. All proposals deemed constructive will be incorporated into the bill, while any points considered detrimental to the province will be excluded.
The Speaker made it unequivocally clear that without the explicit approval of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s founding chairman, Imran Khan, the bill will not move forward to the next stage of consultation or be tabled in the Assembly for approval. He emphasized that the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and PTI’s political committee will brief Imran Khan in detail, and only after his instructions will any further action be taken on the bill.
He further added that the purpose of this consultative process is to consolidate all concerns and suggestions from stakeholders in order to ensure effective and inclusive legislation. All feedback received will be officially shared with the relevant department, and a comprehensive review will determine the future course of the bill.
At the conclusion, the Speaker expressed his gratitude to all participants — including parliamentarians, officials, lawyers, and members of civil society — for their valuable input and active participation in the legislative process.
