Falak Sher
MARDAN
Awami National Party Mardan chapter have rejected the Mines and Minerals Act, calling it an open attack on provincial autonomy and have warned that if an attempt is made to get the bill passed by the provincial assembly, the Awami National Party will strongly resist at all levels.
Speaking to news conference at Mardan press club ANP District President Imran Manduri, General Secretary Fazlur Rehman Bin Yameen, City Mayor Himayatullah Mayar, former MPA Gohar Shah Bacha, provincial finance secretary Haroon Khan, Farooq Ikram Babu, Aziz Khan,Malik Ilyas and other leaders said that the Mines and Minerals Act is not only a violation of Article 73 of the Constitution and the 18th Amendment, but this bill is a conspiracy to establish supremacy of a group sitting in the central government over provincial resources.
They said that in the all-party conference called at Peshawar in this regard, 14 political parties of the province unanimously rejected the bill and took the position that the province has the first right over minerals and natural resources.
They argued that the rulers should be careful. They added that the country is already a victim of terrorism, unrest and on the brink of war. In such circumstances, robbing the constitutional rights of the provinces can lead the situation to a serious turn like 1971. They argued that the Pakhtun nation has made countless sacrifices in the war against terrorism, but even today they are facing deprivation and eviction in exchange for resources. They added that oil, gas and electricity are being produced from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, but despite this, appropriate royalty and development share are not being given. They argued that through this bill, the path is being paved to hand over provincial resources to the US and China. They alleged that in this regard, the bill approved by the Balochistan Assembly has also been changed.
He added that if all the nations of the country are not given the right to equality, further political chaos will arise. They demanded the general public, political parties, civil society and all sections to raise their voice against this act because this is not just a bill but an issue of the future and autonomy of the provinces.
They added that ANP will arrange meetings on tehsil level and on 15th May an APC will be called of all the parties in Mardan district. They warned that if this bill was passed from the provincial assembly ANP would start agitation against it all over the province.
