Peshawar/Kashgil News Special Report
Nisar Baz Khan, a member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly elected from Bajaur, has responded to a statement by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif. Presenting data regarding copper mining in Waziristan, mineral leases, and provincial resources, he has called for transparent accountability and a comprehensive audit of the minerals sector.
He asserts that while accountability is essential, it must be based on evidence, the law, and facts, rather than political affiliations.
According to Nisar Baz Khan, he has served as a member of the Provincial Assembly’s Standing Committee on Minerals for the past two years, during which time the records of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mines and Minerals Department have frequently come under review by the committee.
He claims that the Mines and Minerals Department has issued four large-scale leases—one of which is held by the Frontier Works Organization (FWO)—where copper mining is currently being conducted in Waziristan.
He noted that the area covered by this specific lease spans approximately 30 square kilometers (7,410 acres), which, according to him, is equivalent to 37 standard-sized leases.
He added that local leaseholders are typically granted areas ranging from 50 to 500 acres. Citing records from the Mines and Minerals Department, Nisar Baz Khan claimed that 987,000 tons of copper were extracted from the aforementioned project in Waziristan between 2016 and 2024—a figure that excludes records for 2025 and 2026.
According to him, the FWO (Frontier Works Organization) also sold and exported one million tons of copper through an open bidding process. Based on these figures, he demanded a transparent audit of royalty payments and total revenue.
He stated that if the total value of the extracted copper is estimated at approximately 6.9 trillion rupees, then—under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minerals law—a five percent royalty would amount to roughly 34.5 billion rupees; yet, he claims, only 169 million rupees were paid to the Mines and Minerals Department.
He noted that questions regarding this matter were raised in the Standing Committee, but the relevant authorities failed to provide a comprehensive accounting. Independent verification of these claims and financial figures is essential.
Nisar Baz Khan pointed out that the combined annual revenue of over 4,000 small leaseholders in the province is reported to be around 14 billion rupees, whereas, according to him, the potential royalty from the Waziristan copper project alone runs into billions of rupees.
He questioned why, if accountability is the objective, a transparent audit of the revenue, production, and royalties of major mineral projects is not conducted as a priority. He further stated that if there is evidence of irregularities, nepotism, bribery, or the abuse of authority in the issuance of mineral leases, a thorough investigation must be conducted. However, he added that it would be unjust to jeopardize the livelihoods of all leaseholders simply by associating them with a particular political party.
According to Nisar Baz Khan, the Mines Department introduced an online application system in 2017, which allowed citizens to apply for leases from the comfort of their homes.
He noted that in 2024, the Mine Owners Association highlighted the existence of thousands of pending applications. Subsequently, in October 2024, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reviewed the matter and urged the resolution of these pending applications. He explained that leases were later granted to applicants who met the legal requirements, and a report to this effect was also presented to the relevant committee.
Referring to proposed amendments to the minerals law in 2025, he mentioned that the provincial government had attempted to amend the Minerals Act of 2017—a move he opposed in the Assembly. He stated that following opposition from various political circles—including the Awami National Party—as well as through jirgas, seminars, and all-parties conferences, the process to advance the proposed bill was halted.
Nisar Baz Khan expressed his disagreement with the provincial government regarding issues of poor governance, corruption, and nepotism; however, he emphasized that any statements or allegations made at the state level must be scrutinized against a complete record and supporting evidence. He warned that any attempt to seize the province’s resources through large-scale licensing—under the pretext of mineral leases—would be met with opposition.
He stated that the mineral resources of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are the collective heritage of the province’s people, and that every possible political and legal effort would be made to protect them.
Nisar Baz Khan clarified that he is not opposed to accountability—in fact, he supports it—but emphasized that such accountability must be transparent, impartial, and non-discriminatory. He demanded that strict action be taken against those responsible wherever corruption or violations of the law are proven; however, he cautioned that such actions must not be allowed to serve as a pretext for seizing the province’s resources.
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