MINING POLICIES IN PAKISTAN AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A REGULATORY PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

For many developing countries, mining is a dominant player in the economy. It serves as the key source of income, employment, and foreign exchange. India, Indonesia, Ghana and Peru are countries whose economic growth is highly depend on mining activities. The regulations of the mining industry are important to guarantee that the sector operates in a safe, responsible environmental and socially equitable manner. For many developing nations, strong mining laws don't exist or existing laws aren't enforced, which results in unsafe working conditions and unsustainable mining practices. This review study sets out to analyze a comparative mining regulation in Pakistan and other developing countries like India, Ghana, Peru and Indonesia by finding its strengths and weaknesses in the legal framework. This paper aims at comparing the prevailing mining laws in Pakistan with that of other countries to highlight the gaps in the regulatory framework of Pakistan especially with regards to safety, environmental sustainability and the miner's welfare. This study has also compared best practices from other countries to the Pakistani context, and propose possible reforms to improve Pakistan's mining laws. Economic potential of Pakistan’s mining sector is significant, but it suffers from lack of adequate regulatory frameworks, absence of enforcement, and environmental and health and safety concerns. Pakistan has to resolve weak enforcement mechanisms, underfunded regulatory bodies and lack of adherence to appropriate safety standards, to effectively improve its mining laws.