PESHAWAR: Minister Information and Public Relations Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shafi Jan on Friday held a detailed press conference outlining decisions of the provincial cabinet, law and order situation, and issues related to provincial rights.
He said Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had played an active role in opposing the suspension of CNG supply and restrictions on wheat transportation to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, adding that the Chief Minister mobilised all political parties on a joint platform to address the issue. The minister said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produces 508 MMCFD of gas while its domestic requirement stands at only 180 MMCFD. Despite constitutional provisions giving provinces the first right over their resources, he alleged that the province has historically faced discriminatory treatment from the federal government.
He added that power shortages and restrictions on wheat supply from Punjab had severely impacted local industries and flour mills. On security, Shafi Jan said certain districts were facing law and order challenges, which he attributed to decisions made in closed-door settings without broader consultation. He said the provincial government was spending heavily on counter-terrorism and police modernization, describing security as a top priority alongside health and education.
For the current fiscal year, he said Rs. 170 billion had been allocated for the police, which amounts to 8.7% of the provincial budget—the highest ratio among provinces. He compared this with Punjab’s 3.9% and Sindh’s 5.9%. He added that police funding had increased by 37% over the last two years, with an additional Rs. 46 billion allocated for modernization, including intelligence systems, weapons, technology, and training.
According to him, Rs. 17 billion is being spent on development of the security sector and over Rs. 18 billion on police salaries. The minister criticized reductions from Federal side in the Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP) for merged districts, stating that allocations had fallen from Rs. 42 billion to Rs. 37 billion, of which only Rs. 22 billion had been released.
He said the police-to-population ratio in the province stood at 1 officer for 291 citizens, and 3,550 new police posts had been created, including in merged districts. He announced that Rs. 749 million had been released for 312 cases under the Shuhada compensation package. He also indicated plans to increase the police budget by 12% in the next fiscal year. The minister said the 53rd cabinet meeting approved several major decisions, including the merger of Levies Force into police in Malakand district and the introduction of a uniform police system there.
The cabinet also approved the Digital Transformation Policy and Roadmap 2030, aimed at modernising governance through digitisation, cyber security, digital payments, and the use of artificial intelligence and data analytics. In agriculture, the cabinet approved the reconstitution of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Seed Council to ensure quality seed supply, improve research, and enhance food security.
In the health sector, approval was granted for construction of women’s hostels and a multi-storey parking facility at the Peshawar Institute of Cardiology. The cabinet also approved a transparent recruitment mechanism for Medical Teaching Institutions (MTIs), pending salaries for 906 health technicians and vaccinators, and a formal salary structure for contract employees.
Financial assistance worth Rs. 760 million was approved for nine patients requiring expensive medical treatment. The cabinet approved a Rs. 2 million grant for the Youth Leaders Parliament and Rs. 9.982 million for the National T20 Cricket Cup 2025–26 held at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar. It also approved the procurement of 29 containerized office and residential units for deputy commissioners in Khyber and Kurram districts, along with the extension of service for assistant qazis in Malakand Division. The meeting also reviewed a report on gold block auctions and endorsed its recommendations for further implementation.
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