Pakistan’s Tribal Minerals: Crisis, Lessons, and the Way Forward Lessons from Africa’s Failures and the Arab World’s Policies

Articles , Snippets , / Tuesday, July 29th, 2025

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By Feroz Khan Afridi
The issue of natural resources—especially mineral wealth—in Pakistan’s tribal regions has long been a source of conflict, mistrust, and marginalization. Now that these areas are formally integrated into the country’s administrative framework, it is essential to find a sustainable path forward that respects the will, participation, and welfare of the local population.
Looking globally, African and Arab countries present two sharply contrasting approaches to managing natural resources. Their experiences offer important lessons for Pakistan.
In many African nations—such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Liberia—the discovery of oil, gold, and gemstones triggered an aggressive scramble by ruling elites to sign deals with multinational corporations, often bypassing local communities and tribal elders. These one-sided agreements stripped indigenous people of their rights. In response to this exploitation, many locals turned to resistance and armed struggle, leading to prolonged conflict, instability, and humanitarian crises.
Multinational companies extracted raw materials cheaply, with backing from military regimes, and sold them for massive profits abroad. The communities left behind saw none of this wealth—only destruction, displacement, and poverty.
In contrast, Arab states that discovered oil adopted a more inclusive and strategic approach. Their governments established clear policies, ensured transparency, and promoted local ownership. They avoided exporting raw crude by building domestic refineries, retained ownership under state or local control, limited multinationals to service roles, and shared profits equitably—often with 50% going directly to the host country. Tribal leaders were also compensated for land use. These principles contributed to long-term stability, public satisfaction, and economic growth.
Pakistan’s mineral policy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, unfortunately, resembles the African model more than the Arab one. Coercion, secrecy, and exclusion remain dominant themes. This has led to distrust among locals, reduced investor confidence, fragile security, and opportunities for militants and foreign intelligence networks to exploit public frustration.
The mineral wealth in Pakistan’s tribal areas belongs to the people of those lands. If managed justly and transparently, these resources could transform the region by funding education, healthcare, jobs, and modern infrastructure.
This is not only a question of economic planning—it is about dignity, justice, and rebuilding trust.
A fair and lasting solution requires full legal and operational inclusion of local communities in mineral governance, transparent agreements with foreign partners based