- 40 mining licences held by retired officers and their families cancelled; military-related entities have not submitted any of 500 new licence applications under review by KP CMÂ
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has granted a total of 4,917 mining licences across the province in the past decade, with only one granted to a military-affiliated organisation, the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), The News reported, citing official records.
This licence, awarded in 2015, pertains to the Boya area in North Waziristan, a region that has faced years of underdevelopment and conflict, where FWO has been engaged in rehabilitation efforts and infrastructure development.
The News quoted a senior security official as saying that the Pakistan Army played a key role in the cancellation of nearly 40 legal mining licences in KP that retired military officers and their families held. This action was part of an effort to address public concerns and mitigate negative narratives circulating on social media.
As of now, KP’s chief minister is reviewing over 500 new mining licence applications, but military-related entities have not submitted any. The security official emphasised that the rightful ownership of mineral resources lies with the people of KP, and provincial policy should ensure transparency and fairness in the licensing process.
In 2010, KP had only 482 mineral titles. By 2020, this number increased to 1,762, and further grew to 3,962 by February 2024. Currently, the province has issued 4,917 licences, with 4,133 granted in settled districts and 784 in merged districts.
Despite the increase in mining activities, KP’s mineral sector has yet to fully capitalise on its potential. Revenue from the sector grew steadily over the years, reaching Rs7.43 billion by mid-fiscal year 2024–2025, up from Rs6.4 billion in 2023–2024.Â
While the numbers show progress, experts argue that the province’s mineral wealth, which is estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of rupees, is still not being fully realised.
