The Impact of the 18th Constitutional Amendment on the Distribution and Management of Natural Resources of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: An Analysis

Abstract

The 18th Constitutional Amendment, enacted in Pakistan in April 2010, significantly expanded provincial authority by transferring a range of responsibilities from the federal government to the provinces, including the management of natural resources. This constitutional reform was intended to enable provinces such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to exercise greater control over their mineral wealth, forests, water resources, and energy sector. This study examines the extent to which the 18th Amendment has influenced the distribution, governance, and management of natural resources in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The study uses a qualitative research design based on focus group discussions and interviews with government officials, civil society representatives, and business stakeholders, along with secondary sources such as policy documents and academic literature. The data was examined using thematic analysis. The findings show that the Amendment created a real shift towards decentralization and gave the province more say in resource decisions. At the same time, problems remain, such as weak institutional capacity, slow implementation, corruption, and delays in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. The study also finds that local communities are still not fully included in decisions about resources that affect their lives. The paper ends with practical recommendations, including capacity building, stronger transparency measures, timely revision of the NFC Award, and wider participation of local stakeholders. These findings can help policymakers, researchers, and development practitioners understand how devolution is working in practice and what still needs to be fixed.