Proposed Mineral Development Act: all stakeholders to be taken on board, vows KP minister

A consultative seminar on the proposed 'Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mineral Development and Regulation Act 2016, held under auspices of Khyber Paktunkhwa Frontier Mines Owners Association and provincial department of Mine and Mineral Development, at a local hotel here, which aimed at debating on the law before its presentation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa legislative assembly for formal endorsement.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Mine and Mineral Development, Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli was the chief guest on the consultative session. Besides, Secretary Mining Dr Attaur Rehman, Chairman Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC) Agha Shahid, Director Mining Department, Fazal Wahid, and President KP-FMOA, Sherbandi Marwat and other high officials, a large number of mine owners, and other relevant stakeholders attended the seminar.
Representatives of mine owners association have presented various proposals for bringing amendments and improvements of each aspect of the proposed KP Mineral Development and Regulation Act 2016. While speaking on the occasion, KP Minister Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli said that provincial government would soon finalise first ever proposed Mineral Development and Regulation Act, with consultation of all stakeholders, to promote mineral and mine sector in the province.
She went on to say that the new law will support to all those affiliated with mining sector along with other people. While, she added the illegal mining would be prevented to generate maximum revenue in provincial exchequer through sector, with strict implementation of the proposed law in the province. The KP government is taking prompt measures for development of mine and mineral sector, with special focus on modern mining mechanism and methods during exploration of mines, to avoid waste of time and money in this important sector, and also would take maximum benefits, she maintained.
The minister blamed the successive governments didn't take sufficient steps to bring improvement into the previous mineral development law of 1923, she, however, said the KP government had taken initiatives for bringing improvement in law, after devolution of the ministry of mining to province, in wake of 18th constitutional amendments.
Anisa Zeb said they had initiated consultation with relevant stakeholders to present a role-model mineral development law in the province. She further said that the new law will be made more comprehensive, in which mining safety, royalty and other related fields were parted of the proposed Act, aimed at working in efficient manner by the relevant department in the sector.
The KP minister informed that the mineral force, like in department of forest would be introduced through the proposed Act, which would helpful to prevent illegal mining in the province. She added besides preparation of the new mineral development Act, the work has been initiated for defining new rules as well. She said the law would be formally implemented after completion of consultation process on it.
On the occasion, the minister asked the mine owners to put forward their proposals regarding increase of revenue generation in the mine and mineral development sector, to give maximum financial benefit to the provincial exchequer. Secretary Mine and Mineral Development department, Dr Attaur Rehman, and President KP-FMOA, Sherbandi Khan Marwat also spoke at the seminar.