PESHAWAR: The Area Development Secretariat (ADS), Ministers Block Civil Secretariat Peshawar has introduced a new administrative and organizational structure for the Designated Districts.
In this regard, through different notifications issued on October 21, 2026, orders for new distribution of departments and appointments of five Secretaries have been issued.
According to the notifications issued by Additional Chief Secretary for Designated Districts Muhammad Yahya Akhunzada, these administrative measures have been taken exercising the powers obtained under paragraph 7 (i) and (vi) of the Federal Government’s Cabinet Secretariat, Cabinet Division Order No. 2/2026 dated October 11, 2026.
In the new administrative system, different departments and their subordinate institutions have been entrusted to five Secretaries, including Administration & Governance, Education & Social Sector, Finance & Planning Development, Economic Development and Security.
According to the issued notifications, Secretary Administration & Governance will have Establishment & Administration, Science & Technology & IT, Board of Revenue, Information, Inter-Provincial Coordination and Benevolent Fund departments under its jurisdiction.
Secretary Education & Social Sector has been assigned responsibilities of multiple departments including Elementary & Secondary Education, Higher Education, Archives & Libraries, Auqaf, Hajj & Religious Affairs, Zakat & Ushr, Social Welfare, Health, Local Government & Rural Development, Population Welfare and Culture, Tourism, Archaeology & Museums. Secretary Finance & Planning Development will oversee Finance, Planning & Development and Relief, Rehabilitation & Settlement affairs.
Secretary Economic Development has been assigned Construction & Works, Public Health Engineering, Mines & Minerals, Housing, Industries, Labour, Transport, Agriculture, Irrigation, Environment, Forests & Wildlife & Climate Change, Energy & Power, Food and Fisheries & Livestock departments. Secretary Security will look after Home, Law, Excise, Taxation & Narcotics Control departments, while Sports & Youth Affairs responsibility has also been kept under this sector.
In continuation of notifications issued on October 20, 2026 by the Department of Human Resource Management & Administration, in public interest, orders have also been issued to immediately appoint five officers to various posts. Under Notification No. PSO (D.D)/ADS/1-3/2026, Dr. Adnan Khan Baptani (PAS, BS-19) has been appointed as Secretary Administration & Governance. According to Notification No. PSO (D.D)/ADS/1-4/2026, Dr. Qasim Ali Khan (PMS, BS-19) has been assigned responsibilities as Secretary Education & Social Sector.
Arifullah Awan (PAS, BS-19) has been appointed as Secretary Finance & Planning Development Department through Notification No. PSO (D.D)/ADS/1-2/2026. Similarly, under Notification No. PSO (D.D)/ADS/1-6/2026, Muhammad Abid Khan Wazir (PAS, BS-19) has been appointed as Secretary Economic Development. Under the fifth appointment, through Notification No. SO (D.D)/ADS/1-5/2026, Abdullah Nasir Khan (PMS, BS-19) has been appointed as Secretary Security while also assigned additional charge of Sports & Youth Affairs.
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