DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Awami National Party (ANP) provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain has strongly opposed the proposed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mines and Minerals Act 2025, calling it a violation of provincial autonomy and the 18th Amendment of the Constitution of Pakistan.
He stated that the law seeks to establish federal and non-provincial supremacy over KP’s mineral resources, adding that the proposed law will not be tolerated and unacceptable.
Mian Iftikhar in a statement issued from the party headquarters Bacha Khan Markaz emphasized that ANP firmly believes in the inseparability of Pakistan and the 18th Amendment, and will strongly resist any attempts to undermine it. He questioned why the provincial government was silent on the issuance of new NFC awards despite the province’s population increasing by 6.5 million after the merger of former FATA.
He argued that this increase in population should lead to a larger share for the province in the NFC award, yet the provincial government has failed to raise this issue at the Council of Common Interests.
The ANP leader further criticized the bill, alleging that it undermines the province’s access to its natural resources for personal gain and aligns the provincial government with the federal government in a bid to usurp KP’s rights. He pointed out that a comprehensive act already exists from 2017, questioning the need for new legislation.
Hussain condemned the lack of consultation with elected representatives and stakeholders, describing it as a violation of democratic principles. He warned that the bill paves the way for the federal government to occupy the province’s mineral resources and vowed that ANP would oppose the act both politically and publicly. If the bill was not withdrawn, the party will seek legal action in consultation with experts.
