Explosives supply restrictions halt 4,000 mining projects in KP, association says

Restrictions on explosives supply have brought about 4,000 mining projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to a standstill over the past three months, the Frontier Mine Owners Association said at a Peshawar press conference. Association representatives estimated that nearly 300,000 workers had lost employment, while around 2,000 mineral processing units and hundreds of transport vehicles were also affected.

The association called on federal and provincial authorities to resolve barriers involving explosives, forestry matters, foreign investment and the mining sector’s lack of formal industry status. President Uzair Khan Tanoli said uncertainty around the provincial minerals department was discouraging investment, and urged Governor Faisal Karim Kundi to help address the problems. The group also cited illegal mining and called for coordinated action to restart operations and protect jobs.