CM Afridi objects to governor’s meeting with top officials

PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet on Wednesday approved an additional Rs5.33 billion for strengthening the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), while Chief Minister Sohail Afridi criticised the governor’s recent meeting with senior officials as unconstitutional and called for adherence to the constitutional process.
The decisions were taken at the meeting of the provincial cabinet, chaired by Mr Afridi. The meeting also approved a number of measures relating to sanitation, healthcare, social welfare, education and development projects.
Addressing the cabinet, the chief minister said the province had an elected government enjoying a two-thirds majority and that the provincial assembly, cabinet and other institutions were functioning normally.
He termed the governor’s summoning of the chief secretary and inspector general of police and convening of a meeting in the presence of an elected government an assault on the constitutional and democratic order.
Mr Afridi said the Constitution provided a clear procedure for removing a sitting chief minister through a vote of no-confidence and maintained that anyone having an issue with the chief minister should follow the constitutional process.
He alleged that the recent developments were aimed at provoking the provincial government and forcing it into a reaction that could further destabilise the situation. He said his government would remain peaceful and operate within the Constitution and law.
The chief minister also criticised the federal government’s counterterrorism policy, saying the security situation in KP had continued to deteriorate. He claimed that 14,000 intelligence-based operations and 22 major military operations over the past 22 years had failed to produce lasting peace.
Mr Afridi called for a review of the federal approach to counterterrorism and said a policy formulated in consultation with stakeholders in KP could help establish sustainable peace. He said his government had continued to strengthen the police, CTD and Special Branch since he assumed office, adding that substantial resources were being invested in improving security infrastructure.
The chief minister also raised the issue of the financial integration of the merged districts and said the financial commitments made at the time of the 2018 merger had yet to be fully honoured.
He claimed that around Rs100 billion in compensation for families affected by displacement in the merged districts remained unpaid. He said the provincial government had provided Rs21 billion for displaced people since he assumed office.
Mr Afridi also called for a review of KP’s share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) award and urged the federal government to clear outstanding dues owed to the province.
He directed the chief secretary and inspector general of police not to comply with any order that was unconstitutional or unlawful.
The chief minister also ordered an inquiry into allegations against the Station House Officer of Lachi and directed that the officer be removed from his post pending due process over allegations of extortion and misconduct.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Information Minister Shafi Jan said the cabinet approved Rs5,333.50 million through inter-sectoral reappropriation for the scheme for establishing district-level CTD setups and constructing the Peshawar Regional CTD Headquarters.
The overall estimated cost of the scheme was Rs6,591.640 million, he said, adding that the project would strengthen the CTD’s operational, intelligence and specialised capabilities.
The cabinet also approved extension of the Rural Areas (Village Councils) Cleanliness Programme at a cost of Rs7,660.590 million.
It approved forwarding to the federal government a resolution adopted by the provincial assembly concerning an alleged incident involving the chief minister during his visit to Punjab.
The cabinet approved a policy for distribution of reserved medical and dental college seats for candidates from the merged districts for the 2026-27 academic session.
It also approved equal distribution of 42 reserved seats for South Waziristan between Upper and Lower South Waziristan.
Mr Jan said the chief minister had further directed that 10 seats each for Upper and Lower South Waziristan be reserved in private medical and dental colleges, with the provincial government bearing the expenses until the seats were formally created.
The cabinet approved financial assistance for the medical treatment of 81 needy patients suffering from prolonged or complicated illnesses.
It also approved the transfer of 4 kanals and 17 marlas of Auqaf Department land to the Zakat, Ushr, Social Welfare, Special Education and Women Empowerment Department for establishment of a rehabilitation and detoxification centre for drug addicts in Tehsil Razzar, Swabi.
Another 25 kanals of land was approved for transfer from the Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Department for establishment of a proposed Child Protection Unit and Social Welfare Complex in D.I. Khan.
On sugar availability and prices, the cabinet recommended that the federal government allow sugar exports only after the start of the new crushing season, expected in mid-November, when fresh production becomes available and prices stabilise.
The cabinet also gave concurrence to obtaining $250 million in financing from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) for the READY-KP project under applicable financing terms.