Khyber Pakhtunkhwa mine owners oppose 'strict' regulations

Mine owners of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have expressed concern over strict regulations under the new mining policy, described it as detrimental for the mining sector. Speaking at a news conference at press club on Friday, the Frontier Mining Owners Association President, Sherbandi Khan Marwat alleged the former coalition government had imposed policies on miners without their consultations, meant to pave way for manipulation and corruption.
The association president said that the new policies were unfavourable and great impediment in path of progress and development of mining sector in the province. The policies, he said, had been introduced on directives of few influential people, which must be reviewed in best interest of the sector. "We will not tolerate any force policies, would strongly resist at every level", he warned.
Marwat suggested the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caretaker government should take steps for strengthening of the Mineral Investment Facilitation Authority (MIFA), to counter such impractical policies in the mining sector. He stressed the need for concerted efforts to boost up mining sector in province. Under the new mining policy, he explained the government had increased 200 per cent increase fees to miners, with strictly regulations and other pre-conditions for leasing mining quarries.
He said the policy was totally acceptable and not in best favour of the mining industry. He alleged that the former government had made Rs 4 billion corruption in various schemes of exploration and contracting or leasing quarries in the KP. He explained the corruption of contracting and leasing of mining quarries were made in district Kohistan and Hazara division.
The association president further informed that the new policy rules had empowered the provincial government to increase annual fees, fixing of royalty amount and application process for contracting and leasing mining quarry in the KP. He appreciated the efforts of Director General Mine and Mineral Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Umar Farooq for his untiring efforts to give boost the mining industries and remove all kind of impediments in way of the sector. The officials, he said had fully taken all relevant stakeholders in making any provincial level policies for development of mining sector. He emphasised that it was dire need of hour to make necessary amendment in the new mining policy with consultation of relevant stakeholders in the country.