Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has decided in principle to formulate a new Mining Policy in the province and introduce rudimentary reforms in Mining Sector with the aim to align it on modern lines and ensure effective and prudent use of mineral resources for enhancing revenue of the province. He has directed the high ups of the Mineral Department to impose a ban on the issuance of mineral leases until the formulation of new policy further directing them to submit details of the mining leases already issued.
It is worth mentioning that mining is a major avenue of investment that the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has set out in particular for foreign investors. Some of Pakistan’s most promising mining sites are in KP, and the provincial government will have a vital role to play in their utilisation.
The CM was chairing a meeting of the Mines and Mineral Development Department here the other day. Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Principal Secretary to CM Amjad Ali Khan, Secretary Finance Amir Sultan Tareen, Secretary Mines & Mineral Development Hameedullah Shah and other relevant quarters attended the meeting. The Chief Minister also directed the high ups of the department to complete homework on the establishment of a government-owned Mining company, introduce mechanical mining in the province. A major issue in the past in the mining departments has remained the issuing of tenders and contracts being unfairly awarded. To counter this, the government is proposing an E-bidding system for the issuance of mineral leases further directing them to shift the entire paper work of the department to a paperless system. However as of now this proposed system is still conceptual and has not been set out properly.
Ali Amin Gandapur said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was replete with precious mineral resources and the mineral sector had the potential to generate much revenue for the public exchequer adding that it was the need of the day to ensure prudent and effective use of the mineral resource to increase revenue. The Chief Minister stated that the natural resources were the assets of the people of the province, and made it clear that no individual will be allowed to use their resources for his personal benefit.
“Conducive environment will be ensured for the intending investors in the province, they will be encouraged to invest in the province and will provide all out facilities under the Ease-of-Doing Business policy of the provincial government,” the Chief Minister remarked.
