PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Thursday said the province’s vast mineral resources offered immense opportunities for foreign investment, so joint ventures would ensure benefits for the provincial and federal governments and local communities.
“There is a need for transparent utilisation of these resources to strengthen the economy, create employment and promote sustainable development,” the governor told UK-based Critical Minerals Tomorrow chief executive officer Lee Constable during a meeting at KP House in Islamabad.
The meeting discussed prospects for foreign investment in the province’s mineral sector, development of mineral resources and the establishment of potential joint ventures between the company and the provincial government, according to an official statement from the governor’s office.
Mr Kundi said that KP was endowed with abundant mineral wealth that could attract significant international investment if managed in a transparent and effective manner.
He said that investment in the mineral sector would accelerate economic growth, improve living standards and create sustainable livelihood opportunities for people living in mineral-rich areas.
Welcoming the company’s interest in investing in the province, the governor discussed various proposals for establishing a joint venture between the provincial government and the company.
He said the proposed partnership should ensure mutual benefits for the provincial government, local communities and the federal government and that the centre would also be taken on board to ensure effective coordination for future projects.
Mr Kundi said that curbing illegal mining had remained one of his top priorities since assuming office.
He said that illegal mining worth around Rs2 billion per month had reportedly taken place during the dysfunctional provincial government’s tenure and that effective measures had been initiated to eliminate the practice.
The governor said the province’s mineral sector was being digitised to promote transparency, accountability and effective regulation, enabling improved monitoring and ensuring that the province received its rightful revenue from its mineral resources.
He said that he was ensuring the utilisation of the province’s natural resources for public welfare, economic prosperity, local development and employment generation so that the residents directly benefited from investment and development projects.
Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2026
