Peshawar  -  The 24th meeting of the provincial Cabinet of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Monday, where various key matters were discussed. Cabinet members, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Additional Chief Secretaries, Senior Member of the Board of Revenue, Administrative Secretaries, and the Advocate General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa attended the meeting.

The cabinet was briefed in detail about the implementation of government decisions aimed at ensuring sustainable peace in District Kurram. It was informed that since October last year, 189 people had lost their lives in various incidents of unrest in Kurram. However, due to the continuous efforts of the provincial government, a peace agreement was reached to restore peace and normalcy in the region.

To ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential goods to the people of the restive district, nine convoys comprising 718 vehicles have so far been sent to Kurram, leaving no room for a shortage of essential commodities in the area. It was further noted that the provincial government has launched a helicopter service to and from Kurram on the direction of the Chief Minister. So far, 153 flights have been carried out using two helicopters, providing air transport for approximately 4,000 people.

In addition, 19,000 kilograms of essential medicines have been supplied to Kurram to meet the medical needs of patients.

It was also revealed that, in line with the cabinet’s decision and the peace agreement, the demolition of illegal bunkers in Kurram is ongoing, and 151 bunkers have been dismantled to date. The deadline for the complete removal of all bunkers and de-weaponization has been set for March 23. The cabinet approved Rs98.3 million to procure explosives for dismantling the remaining illegal bunkers.

To enhance security on Kurram Road, the cabinet had already approved the establishment of a special security force, and work is progressing to set up both temporary and permanent security posts. A total of 120 security posts will be established along the road, and approval has been granted for the recruitment of 407 personnel. These security posts will be equipped with essential supplies worth Rs764 million.

The cabinet approved the designs for these security posts and the release of funds for the entire scheme. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also directed the establishment of security posts at locations where attacks from long distances can be effectively monitored and countered, ensuring the security of people’s lives and property on a permanent basis.

The cabinet also reviewed plans for the restoration of damaged infrastructure in Kurram. The briefing indicated that the rehabilitation of the destroyed Bagan Bazaar is estimated to cost Rs480 million, and work on the project will commence soon. The Chief Minister stated that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is committed to ensuring lasting peace, development, and stability in the region, with all necessary measures being taken for the welfare of the people.

The cabinet also approved the release of 1,645MT of PASSCO imported wheat currently stored in Kurram to the general public in the area. The cabinet further approved a one-time, five-year relaxation of age limits and four attempts for PMS candidates, due to the fact that the competitive examination has not been conducted in recent years. It was also directed that such competitive examinations should be conducted on an annual basis, similar to the CSS exam.

The cabinet approved creation of various posts for the effective utilization and operation of the already installed tube wells in the D.I. Khan Irrigation Circle.

The cabinet further approved the release of Rs359 million for the monthly ration and sustenance allowance for those people in North Waziristan registered as TDPs since June 2014. Since April 2021, the provision of dry food/rations to the TDPs of North Waziristan has been discontinued by the World Food Program (WFP), and the funds already provided by the Federal Government have also been exhausted. The Cabinet, therefore, decided to approach the Federal Government for additional funds and stressed the need for a plan to rehabilitate the TDPs.

The cabinet also approved forwarding Provincial Assembly Resolution No 123 to the federal government, requesting the establishment of regional offices of the Foreign Office at all divisional headquarters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in Abbottabad and Swat, to address the document attestation needs of students.

The cabinet approved the reconstitution of the Provincial Transport Authority and the nomination of its three non-official members. It also approved the hiring of private legal counsel for defending the CNSA (Control of Narcotics Substances Act) and the imposition of provincial excise duty in the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Peshawar High Court, respectively. It approved grant-in-aid for the District Bar Association Khyber.

The cabinet approved a non-ADP scheme titled ‘Integrated Development Package for D I Khan’ with an initial allocation of Rs. 2,000 million for the current financial year. According to SDG indicators, poverty in District D.I. Khan is 66%, the non-availability of sanitation facilities is 55%, and non-availability of social protection coverage is 48.2%, which require substantial improvement. Moreover, the prevalence of stunting among children under five years is alarmingly high at 45.8%, and malnutrition stands at 10.8%. Addressing these issues requires a holistic approach targeting health, education, infrastructure, and social protection.

Speaking about residential issues for government employees, the Chief Minister directed the concerned authorities to prepare a proper plan for the construction of high-rise buildings in the provincial metropolis to address the housing needs of employees, to be included in the next ADP.

Advisor to the Chief Minister, Musaddiq Abbassi, briefed the cabinet on the salient features of the proposed awareness plan on anti-corruption. The Chief Minister stressed the initiation of “Honesty Awards” and the enactment of rules to curb the menace of corruption. He further directed the Elementary & Secondary Education Department to introduce offering Durood Sharif immediately after the recitation from the Holy Quran during morning assemblies in schools.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, the Chief Minister welcomed the newly-appointed Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, expressing the hope that, having served the province in various capacities in the past, he will contribute significantly to the efforts for good governance. He also appreciated the service of outgoing Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhary for the province.