PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has granted the status of a provincial minister to the Chief Minister’s Adviser on Finance, Muzammil Aslam.
According to an official notification, the decision was approved by the Chief Minister under Clause 9 of Article 130 of the Constitution of Pakistan. The notification stated that the decision has taken immediate effect.
Following the move, Muzammil Aslam will continue to perform his duties as Adviser to the Chief Minister on Finance but will now hold the status of a provincial minister. With this status, he will receive protocol and powers equivalent to a cabinet member.
Officials said the step was taken because being a provincial minister is a requirement for serving as a member of the National Finance Commission.
Since Muzammil Aslam is not an elected member, he cannot formally become a provincial minister. However, the Constitution allows the chief minister to grant a non-elected individual the status of a provincial minister for up to six months.
KP govt seeks report over delay in Ramazan relief funds
Earlier, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has taken notice of the non-payment of financial assistance to deserving individuals under its Ramazan relief package and has issued directives for the immediate release of funds.
According to an official letter issued in this regard, the relevant authorities have been instructed to complete the payment process to eligible families without delay so that relief can be provided to them during the holy month of Ramazan.
The letter states that a formal agreement has been signed with Mobilink Microfinance Bank for the disbursement of funds under the Ramazan package.
Under the agreement, each eligible beneficiary will receive financial assistance of Rs12,500 through the banking system.
Officials said that a service charge of Rs20 per transaction has been set. The letter also directs authorities to immediately share the uploaded data of beneficiaries with the bank so that the payment process can be completed swiftly.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to allocate Rs 12.8 billion under the Ramazan relief Package and provide Rs 12,500 each to 1 million deserving families.
However, according to sources, a special quota has also been set for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) members of the provincial assembly and office bearers in the relief package, which has sparked debate in political circles.
Sources say that a quota of five thousand people has been set for each PTI member of the assembly, as well as a special portion for the party’s MNAs and unsuccessful candidates in the recent elections.
