KP govt releases white paper on contentious Mines and Minerals Bill 2025

• Mineral Investment Facilitation Authority to be established.
• Licensing system will be digitalised for transparency.
• License period to be reduced to three years.

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has released a white paper on the proposed Mines and Minerals Bill, 2025, outlining its key features and objectives.

The white paper reveals that the proposed legislation aims to align mineral laws with those of other provinces and the federal government.

As per the white paper, large-scale domestic and international investment in the mineral sector will be promoted, a Mineral Investment Facilitation Authority would be established and the mineral titles and licensing system will be digitalised for transparency and accessibility.

Under the legislation, license period will be reduced to three years to facilitate the lease acquisition.

An independent and powerful appellate tribunal would be established for impartial and swift justice, it stated.

The proposed legislation also aims to bind the department to prepare a geological database.

A special force would be established to take strict action against illegal mining. Through the legislation, it said, illegal mining will be prevented by confiscating machinery and imposing penalties.

It will ensure that existing leases and applications remain valid despite the new legislation.

Meanwhile, commenting on reservations of some politicians, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur clarified that the proposed amendments in the Mines and Minerals Act did not seek to transfer provincial government authority to any other entity.

"It seems as if certain mafia is opposing the reforms for personal gains," he added, dispelling the "misinformation being spread about the proposed law".

The chief minister highlighted the government's efforts to improve policies and reforms in the mineral sector, stating that these measures will increase the province's revenue. He also pointed out that illegal mining had been going on at four gold mines for 76 years, and previous governments never attempted to halt the illegal mining.

Last week, different factions of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) sparked controversy over the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mines and Minerals Bill, 2025, which is reportedly linked to the party founder Imran Khan's approval.

Several clauses of the proposed law have been termed contentious in the context of provincial autonomy, transparency and investor confidence, while the provincial government insists the bill is in the broader interest of the province, The News reported on April 12.

During a debate in the KP Assembly, CM Gandapur has presented comprehensive clarifications on all of its key points.

A detailed meeting of PTI’s political committee was also held on the bill.

The committee reviewed all aspects of the bill and unanimously concluded that it contained no provision transferring provincial autonomy, rights, or mineral resources to the federal government, Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), or any other federal institution.

Meanwhile, the PTI political committee on Friday unanimously decided that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mines and Minerals Bill will only be passed after thorough consultations and with formal approval of the founder chairman Imran Khan.

Consultations with other parliamentary parties will continue prior to the bill’s approval, but it will align completely with PTI founder Imran’s agenda, manifesto, narrative, and public expectations. It will only be passed in the assembly after thorough consultations and formal approval from Imran. No haste has been or will be exercised in the bill’s approval.