- Joint declaration labels the bills a breach of 18th constitutional amendment
- Participants urge KP Assembly to formally reject it, initiate constitutional and legal action
- Conference endorses Balochistan-based parties’ opposition to similar legislation passed in the province
PESHAWAR: Leaders from across the political spectrum in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday unanimously rejected the proposed Mines and Minerals Bill 2025, labeling inimical to provincial autonomy and a breach of the 18th constitutional amendment.
The political leaders came together at an all-parties conference organized by the Awami National Party (ANP) in Peshawar.
Attendees of the APC, chaired by ANP’s provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain at Bacha Khan Markaz, described the bill as a “direct attack” on the province’s authority over its natural resources.
The APC brought together political representatives, legal experts, business groups, civil society, and mining industry associations.
A joint declaration issued at the conclusion of the conference categorically rejected the bill. “This is not merely legislation—it is an unconstitutional attempt to centralise control and undermine the provincial assembly’s mandate,” the statement read.
Leaders accused the federal government of seeking to expand its influence over KP’s mineral sector through the bill.
Particular concern was raised over the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the federal minerals wing. The declaration dismissed their involvement in provincial matters and described the SIFC as an “unconstitutional and illegal council,” alleging it is part of a broader effort to bring sectors like agriculture, mining, tourism, and Information Technology under centralised federal and military control.
“The SIFC reflects a dangerous precedent of non-civilian oversight in sectors meant to remain under democratic provincial control,” the statement said.
The gathering criticised the bill’s potential impact on local communities, labourers, and mining stakeholders, calling it “a strike against economic justice and democratic governance.”
Participants urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to formally reject the bill and initiate constitutional and legal action. A province-wide public campaign, they said, would be launched if the legislation were passed without consultation.
“The control of KP’s resources belongs to its people and elected representatives—not to federal bureaucrats or unelected institutions,” said one participant.
Notably, the conference received support from a broad coalition of parties. Among those present were Maulana Atta ur Rehman (Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam), Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha (Pakistan People’s Party), Bushra Gohar (National Democratic Movement), Ali Asghar Khan and others from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Prof Ibrahim (Jamaat-e-Islami), Murtaza Javed Abbasi (PML-N), Tariq Ahmed Khan (Qaumi Watan Party), Muhammad Ali (Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party), Adil Mehmood (Mazdoor Kisan Party), Khurshid Khan (Pakhtunkhwa National Awami Party), and Barrister Inayatullah (Awami Workers Party).
Representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, legal circles, mineral experts, business associations, and the broader civil society also took part in the conference. The ANP’s central and provincial leadership was in full attendance.
In a show of interprovincial solidarity, the conference endorsed Balochistan-based parties’ opposition to similar legislation passed in their province and called for its immediate repeal.
“The defence of provincial rights is not limited to KP,” the declaration concluded. “This is part of a larger, national struggle for constitutional supremacy and federal balance.”
