Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], April 17 : Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chairman Maulana Fazlur Rehman criticised the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government's proposed mines and minerals bill, terming it "unacceptable" and a violation of provincial autonomy, The Express Tribune reported.
Addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Wednesday, Rehman accused the federal government and "international powers" of trying to take control of Pakistan's natural resources. He warned that JUI-F would take to the streets if "sensible decisions" were not made.
"This legislation undermines the 18th Amendment and infringes upon the rights of provinces. We will not allow the Centre or any foreign power to lay claim to our resources," Fazl was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune.
He alleged that the federal government had planned alternative legal mechanisms to bypass constitutional safeguards, pressuring provinces into establishing new authorities to manage their mineral wealth.
"If any country wants to invest, it must approach the provincial government through the Centre and respect local conditions," he added.
Opposition parties and leaders within Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have criticised the proposed bill, introduced by PTI in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. Critics have said that the law risks centralising control of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's resources and weakening provincial authority.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has defended its decision to introduce the bill, stressing that it aims to regulate investment, curb illegal mining, and attract foreign interest in the province's mineral sector.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman also spoke about the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, calling on the government to hold talks with Afghanistan and develop a clear policy for the repatriation and registration of Afghan refugees, The Express Tribune reported.
Rehman's statement came after reports claimed that PTI founder Imran Khan, currently incarcerated in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, had directed his party not to approve the legislation without his consultation with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and other lawmakers.
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