PESHAWAR - The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial
cabinet meeting was held under the
chairmanship of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Chief Minister Mahmood Khan at Cabinet Room Civil Secretariat Peshawar.
The provincial cabinet approved the
integration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Phase (I) Levies and Khasadar Forces in regular police. Provincial Minister
for Information Shaukat Yousafzai along
with spokesperson of the Provincial
Government Ajmal Wazir said in a press
conference that the news of differences in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was false and there is no grouping
in the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.
The minister endorsed that Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood
Khan is doing well in the province as
he has successfully established courts
in erstwhile FATA, deployed police and
ensured timely elections. Yousafzai said
that legislation was needed to prevent
cases of child abuse and strict penalties
can eliminate such set of mind.
Informing the media about the cabinet
meeting decisions, the minister said that
the WSSC utility charges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been increased to Rs50
million and grant in aid of 500 million
has been increased to Rs1 billion.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Act
2013 approved Appellate Tribunal for
sales tax on services. After that, Syed
Anis Bukhari will be a member of the
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Appellate Tribunal. His services will be based on deputation for three years.
According to the decision of the Peshawar High Court, the provincial cabinet gave approval to agriculture grade
17 officers of agriculture department a
33 per cent selection grade. The provincial cabinet approved transfer of trial of
prisoner Mohammed Ikram, son of Syed
Karim from ATC Mardan to ATC Peshawar.
Establishment of Juvenile Courts under the Juvenile Act 2018 has been presented in the provincial cabinet.
The main purpose of this law is to
make the judicial system more efficient and the provincial cabinet approved it. He said that the provincial
cabinet approved necessary amendments in light of the agreement with
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) for better repair and operation of two helicopters.
This includes new posts, salaries and
other incentives.
Similarly, the provincial cabinet approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Special Police Officer (regularisation of police) Bill 2019. The provincial cabinet
approved release of Rs472 million to
pay the pension of retired judges during
fiscal year 2019-20. The cabinet approved the postponement of the proposed amendments to the Civil Procedure Court for 90 days.
Yousafzai further informed that the
provincial cabinet approved the establishment of the Mineral Investment Facilitation Authority. In light of the cabinet decision, the notification of July 27,
2016 would be considered cancelled.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Revenue Authority 2018-19 Annual Report was submitted to the provincial cabinet.
The cabinet agreed with the proposal that under Section 103 of the Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa Finance Act 2013, the authority should submit annual report to
the government during the last three
months of each financial year.
This will include the Statement of Account, the nature of last year’s work, the
various activities, goals, achievement
and overall performance of the authority and other relevant matters.
The provincial cabinet approved expost facto of Rs3 million for monthly
payment of Rs0.5 million for the Consultant Office established for the tribal districts. He said that the provincial cabinet approved the regularisation of the
services of the employees of the Disaster
Management Authority of the tribal districts. After the approval of the cabinet,
these employees will be considered employees of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.
Moreover, the provincial cabinet approved the increase in existing grant of
Peshawar Press Club from Rs3 million
to Rs6 million. The cabinet approved
amendments to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Control of Narcotics Substance Act 2019
under this, strict measures and penalties have been proposed for narcotics
control, especially ice intoxication.
It is to be noted that these powers have
been transferred to the provinces after
the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
Similarly, the provincial cabinet has
approved provision of 22 vehicles to senior civil judges.