In an unusual and historic political development in Peshawar, it has been decided to hold the next session of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly at the ‘Imran Khan Cricket Stadium’ (formerly Arbab Niaz Stadium) in Peshawar instead of the traditional Assembly Hall.
This decision is a first of its kind in the provincial history and aims to bring parliamentary proceedings to the public level and promote transparency.
This special session of the Provincial Assembly will be held on Wednesday (April 22, 2026) at 3 pm. This decision came after the announcement made by Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Afridi during a public meeting in Mardan. Later, Speaker Babar Saleem Swati finalized it after consulting the Leader of the Opposition Dr. Ibad and other parliamentary leaders.
The main objective of this initiative is to bridge the gap between the people and their elected representatives and strengthen democratic accountability. In this historic session, ordinary citizens will also be allowed to watch the proceedings from the stadium galleries.
A formal notification has been issued by the Assembly Secretariat. As per government orders, the control of the stadium was handed over to the police on Monday for security and logistical
A massive cleaning drive is underway in the roads outside the stadium and adjacent areas in view of the session. The local government staff is busy removing encroachments from the highways and restoring footpaths to facilitate the visiting guests and citizens.
Special seating arrangements are being made for Members of the Legislative Assembly (MPAs) inside the stadium, while a modern sound system is also being installed throughout the stadium so that people in the public gallery can easily hear the proceedings.
The agenda of this meeting has been informed that it will discuss routine legislation and matters of public importance. The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is also expected to attend the meeting.
While this decision has come as a pleasant surprise to the public circles, political observers are calling it a “symbolic step” that is an attempt to ensure public participation, breaking away from the traditional politics of the past.
Through this historic move, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is trying to usher in a new parliamentary culture in which the legislative process goes beyond the four walls of the House and reaches directly to the public arena.
Read also:Is it right to hold KP Assembly session at Imran Khan Cricket Stadium?
