Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) issued most mineral licences in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during its tenure. He also said military institutions had no direct role in the sector’s licensing process.
Speaking at a press conference in Sialkot, Asif shared figures showing a rise in mineral licences over several years. According to him, authorities issued 482 licences or titles in KP between Pakistan’s independence and 2010. The number increased to 1,762 by 2020.
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Furthermore, Asif said the total reached 3,962 by February 2024. It has since risen to 4,917, according to the defence minister. He added that authorities issued 4,133 licences in settled districts and 784 in merged districts.
Asif said the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) received only one mineral licence during the period. Authorities granted it in 2015 for the Boya area of North Waziristan. He added that FWO primarily carried out construction and rehabilitation work.
Meanwhile, the defence minister said officials were reviewing more than 500 new applications. He stated that none of these applications came from a military institution. However, he did not provide further details about the applicants or the pending cases.
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Asif also commented on political relations between leaders and parties. He said political opponents sometimes become allies and argued that such changes should follow principles. He added that politicians themselves sometimes undermine their own respect through their conduct.
The minister also praised the military’s role on various fronts and referred to the closure of Pakistan Steel Mills. In addition, he said the Fauji Foundation had paid Rs323 billion in taxes. Asif urged people to speak truthfully and said the benefits would become clear.