I will not allow illegal mining in the province, says Ali Amin Gandapur in a strong statement

Ali Amin Gandapur has taken a firm stance regarding the Mines and Minerals Act, stating that he will not allow illegal mining in the province. “I will not let valuable assets be sold for peanuts,” he said. He welcomed the Pakistan-Afghanistan talks, adding, “Going solo is not in anyone's interest. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the biggest stakeholder in the Pak-Afghan talks, was left out. Instead of a solo flight, they should have taken us along.”

The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said the Mines and Minerals Act is KP's own legislation, and propaganda is being spread by creating a false narrative around it. “I am not answerable for what Sindh, Punjab, or Balochistan do,” he added.

Ali Amin Gandapur emphasized, “I am accountable only for my province. Show me one clause where we gave any authority to the federal government? I never agreed to the SIFC proposal. I will not allow illegal mining in the province.”

The KP Chief Minister warned that those involved in illegal mining will not even find a lawyer to help retrieve their machinery. “I will publicly auction the machinery of illegal miners,” he declared.

He further stated, “I will not let our valuable assets be sold for cheap. The Mines and Minerals Bill will be passed as per the founder’s instructions. The federal government is now following KP’s negotiation policy. Ishaq Dar is neither a partridge nor a quail.”

The KP Chief Minister added, “Ishaq Dar is a representative of the Form 47 government. The PTI holds the people’s mandate in KP. Negotiations are a positive step, but going solo benefits no one. KP, the biggest stakeholder in Pak-Afghan talks, was ignored. Instead of solo decisions, they should have taken us along. We even sent terms of reference for negotiations but received no response.”

He said, “Just as we developed a formula for forming a national-level jirga, it should have been implemented. The Form 47 government is not only incompetent but is also acting against national unity. A terrorism-affected region like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa must be included. The indecent manner in which Afghan refugees are being sent back has caused provocation.”

Ali Amin Gandapur said, “We hosted millions of Afghans for years. They should be sent back with dignity. Once they reached Afghanistan, it’s as if they vanished. So far, the details of negotiations and agreements haven’t been disclosed, because they have nothing. Even now, if our jirga is accepted, significant results can be achieved.”