DLP Report
PESHAWAR
President of the Minerals Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Afsar Muhammad Khan on Monday called for the immediate lifting of restrictions on explosives used in mining, saying the measures had caused serious economic hardships for mine leaseholders and workers.
Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club (PPC), Mr Khan, accompanied by the association’s general secretary Syed Abdul Rauf Shah and mining leaseholders from various parts of the province, demanded that the provincial government amend the Minerals Act, 2017, in consultation with all genuine stakeholders.
He said the government should review the existing explosives policy in consultation with mining leaseholders and introduce practical and workable standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure safety without bringing mining activities and employment to a halt.
He also demanded the immediate lifting of restrictions on the loading and transportation of minerals already extracted in Bajaur and other areas, arguing that the activities had no connection with the use of explosives.
Mr Khan said the Minerals Department had been established to develop the province’s mineral resources and should not be treated merely as a revenue-generating department.
He called for amendments to the Minerals Act through an empowered committee comprising representatives of mine leaseholders, workers and other stakeholders.
He also called for the restructuring or dissolution of the Minerals Evaluation and Facilitation Authority (MEFA), alleging that its members did not adequately represent stakeholders in the mining sector.
The association president proposed the establishment of a Minerals Development Bank and demanded that royalties generated from the sector be spent on the development of mining communities and promotion of the industry.
On forests and protected areas, Mr Khan said regulated mining should be allowed subject to appropriate environmental and safety safeguards. He alleged that MEFA had imposed a blanket ban on mining in Guzara forests despite provisions of the Minerals Act, 2017, and called for an immediate review of any policy he said was inconsistent with the law.
He criticised large-scale mining operations, saying local communities in Dir, Chitral and Malakand should not be deprived of the benefits of their natural resources.
He called for greater opportunities for local investors and mining workers, including interest-free financial assistance, machinery and allocation of small mining areas to workers’ groups.
Mr Khan also stressed the need to promote local investment and value addition so that minerals could be processed within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, creating employment and increasing the economic benefits of the sector for the province.
Referring to directions issued by the Peshawar High Court, he demanded that small areas also be allocated to local workers for placer-gold mining.
Mr Khan said the mining community was not opposed to regulation, safety standards or environmental protection. However, he said the government should introduce a fair, transparent and workable regulatory framework that protected employment and livelihoods while ensuring the sustainable development of the province’s mineral resources.
He urged the provincial government to hold meaningful negotiations with representatives of the Minerals Association and mining workers and resolve their grievances without further delay.
