ISLAMABAD: The federal government will conduct a transparent investigation into thousands of mineral licences issued in KP during PTI government, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said on Sunday.
Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, the minister said the province’s mineral resources belonged to the people of KP. He criticised attempts by some politicians to link the imposition of an emergency in the province to its mineral resources.
Chaudhry said the purpose of imposing the emergency in KP was to eliminate terrorism. He added that a comprehensive development programme had been prepared for the province, with the first phase focusing on eliminating terrorism from 12 severely affected districts.
He said local residents would not be displaced from these districts and that intelligence-based operations, which were already underway, would be intensified. He added that the provincial government’s writ would be established in the affected areas.
The minister said efforts to combat terrorism should not be undermined. He also accused the then PTI government in KP of corruption and alleged that it had done little beyond filling its members’ pockets.
Commenting on opposition politics, Chaudhry said PTI had appointed Mahmood Khan Achakzai as opposition leader. He claimed that most opposition members did not want Achakzai to retain the position.
Chaudhry said Maulana Fazlur Rehman was aware of the situation in KP and urged him to clarify his position on terrorism and support efforts to combat it.
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