The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) promised transformation but delivered disappointment. Now, Munir touts a plan to exploit $6 trillion in rare minerals from PoGB and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, positioning it as Pakistan’s ticket out of crisis. However, experts see through the rhetoric, pointing to a pattern of military encroachment and peripheral neglect.

The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), billed as an economic savior, is in fact amplifying army influence over mining and energy. Key moves include the April 2025 Mining and Mineral Amendment Act, which handed federal—read military—control over mining rights, sidelining provincial bodies. Earlier, the August 2024 amendments to PoGB Mining Concession Rules further diminished local authority, sparking outrage across the region.

The tipping point came in Shigar Valley in April 2025, where the K-2 Action Committee mobilized thousands in historic demonstrations. Slogans like ‘No to Occupation on Occupation’ echoed the crowd’s fury over long-standing exploitation. This wasn’t merely about mining policies; it symbolized resistance against political erasure and resource plundering.

As military oversight intensifies, PoGB’s people are left questioning whether Munir’s visions will ever materialize or if they’ll remain tools for central power consolidation. The protests signal a growing call for genuine autonomy and fair resource sharing.

The OIC foreign ministers voiced their opposition to Israel’s occupation and complete military control over Gaza. These nations have requested that the UN General Assembly’s Security Council hold a special session in September.

The OIC also condemned the concept of Greater Israel. These statements were denounced as provocative and an attack on the sovereignty of nations. The organization stated that such pronouncements violate international law and the UN Charter, posing a grave threat to regional and international peace.