Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has strongly criticized the proposed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Mines and Minerals Bill, calling it “unacceptable” and a direct threat to the principle of provincial autonomy. Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar on Wednesday, he warned that his party would launch protests if the government failed to adopt sensible policies respecting provincial rights.
Maulana Fazl accused not just the federal government, but also international forces, of attempting to take control of Pakistan’s natural resources. He said the legislation violates the 18th Amendment and undermines the authority of provincial governments.
He alleged that the federal authorities were using indirect methods and legislative tools to serve their interests, even at the expense of judicial independence. He added that provinces were being pressured to pass laws that establish centralized mining authorities, effectively bypassing provincial control over resources.
Fazl emphasized that any foreign investment in the mining sector must go through the federal government but only with the province’s approval and under its terms. He insisted that provincial interests and autonomy must be respected and protected.
“We will not allow either the Centre or foreign powers to assume ownership of provincial resources,” he said, reiterating his party’s firm stance on resource sovereignty.
He also voiced concerns over the deteriorating security situation in KP and suggested the government engage in talks with Afghanistan to address the issue. On the topic of Afghan refugees, Fazl proposed a clear mechanism for their registration and repatriation, stating that if 1.5 million refugees remain undocumented, the government should assist in formalizing their status.
His remarks come amid ongoing political opposition to the KP government’s proposed mining law. The bill, introduced by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), aims to regulate investment in the province’s mineral sector. However, critics argue it grants excessive control to the federal government and weakens the province’s grip on its own resources.
Even within PTI ranks, dissent has surfaced. Former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan, currently in prison, has directed party lawmakers not to pass the bill until he personally reviews it in consultation with KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and other political figures.
The KP government, however, maintains that the bill has been misunderstood. Officials argue that it is intended to curb illegal mining practices and attract legitimate investment, not diminish provincial autonomy.
The legislation has been introduced at a time when the federal government is actively promoting the country’s mineral wealth to international investors.
