PESHAWAR: The proposed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Act 2026 has come under legal scrutiny following its approval by the provincial cabinet, with preparations reportedly underway to challenge the legislation in the Peshawar High Court (PHC).
Legal experts said the draft currently has no formal legal status or force of law and must go through a series of constitutional and legal procedures before it can become enforceable legislation.
According to legal experts, following approval by the provincial cabinet, the draft must first be presented before and passed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. It would then be sent to the governor for assent.
Under the constitutional procedure, the governor has 15 days for consideration and a further 10 days under the relevant process. Only after the required assent can the provincial government formally notify and enforce the law, according to the experts.
Meanwhile, the proposed legislation is also facing constitutional questions. Sources said the Peshawar High Court had already struck down a similar notification issued on October 31, 2024, in a ruling delivered in February this year.
Legal experts said that, in light of the high court’s previous judgment, issuing a new notification of a similar nature could potentially raise questions of contempt of court.
Against this backdrop, preparations have reportedly begun to file another constitutional petition challenging the proposed legislation before the Peshawar High Court, with the earlier court ruling expected to form a key part of the legal challenge.
