ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Senator Kamran Murtaza has alleged that the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is intended to bring the province’s mineral resources under federal control, raising serious objections to the constitutional basis of the decision.
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad on Sunday, Murtaza, a senior lawyer, questioned whether the constitutional requirements under Articles 232 and 234 had been fulfilled before the federal government imposed the measures.
He argued that the grounds for the president’s decision, along with the supporting material, should have been formally documented and disclosed.
According to Murtaza, a governor’s report is central to proceedings under Article 234, and the prime minister’s advice alone cannot replace that requirement. He alleged that the relevant report had not been presented.
The JUI-F senator also accused the government of securing parliamentary approval for the emergency and governor’s rule without providing lawmakers with the necessary supporting documents.
He said letters had been sent to the National Assembly speaker and Senate chairman on the instructions of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, seeking access to the relevant records.
Murtaza said the National Assembly speaker had acknowledged receiving the letter and forwarded it to the concerned ministry.
Raising concerns over provincial autonomy, the senator alleged that the federal government’s broader objective was to gain control of KP’s mineral wealth.
He claimed that a proposal was under consideration to separate mineral resources in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) from provincial control and place them under federal administration.
The allegations regarding the government’s intentions and the proposed transfer of mineral resources have not been independently substantiated.
Murtaza also criticised what he described as differing approaches towards Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. He argued that the Mines and Minerals legislation promoted by the federal government conflicted with the spirit of Article 172 of the Constitution.
He said JUI-F had challenged the Balochistan Mines and Minerals law in court, while a similar bill had yet to be approved by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
The federal government imposed emergency measures and governor’s rule in KP on October 11, citing escalating militancy and concerns over the provincial administration’s response. Parliament subsequently endorsed the measures on October 15 amid opposition protests.
Murtaza maintained that JUI-F would continue opposing any move it considered a threat to constitutional protections, provincial autonomy or the rights of provinces over their natural resources.