Peshawar: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has imposed a ban on party members from issuing statements regarding the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, making its approval conditional on the permission of party founder Imran Khan.
According to reports, PTI's political committee has directed the provincial government not to rush the bill's approval and scheduled a briefing session on the proposed legislation for elected representatives on April 14.
Strict instructions have been issued by the committee, warning that any member or worker who speaks publicly about the bill will face disciplinary action. It has also been decided that the bill must not be tabled in the assembly without taking all relevant stakeholders into confidence.
On the other hand, the Awami National Party (ANP) has outright rejected the proposed Mines and Minerals Act 2025. ANP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Mian Iftikhar Hussain stated that a similar act already exists and there's no need for a new one. He asserted that the bill contradicts the 18th Constitutional Amendment, which grants provinces control over their natural resources.
The matter has also caused internal rifts within PTI leadership. A dispute reportedly broke out between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and senior party leader Atif Khan in the party's WhatsApp group. Atif Khan opposed the bill, arguing that it is not in the public’s interest.
The controversy surrounding the bill highlights growing tensions within PTI ranks and opposition concerns over potential centralization of control over provincial resources.
