The Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muhammad Sohail Afridi, while addressing the provincial cabinet, strongly condemned the solitary confinement of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi and the denial of meetings with them. He said that Imran Khan has been kept in solitary confinement for more than ninety days and is not being allowed to meet his family members and friends. Similarly, Bushra Bibi has also been kept in isolation and is not being allowed to meet her family members, which is a grave violation of basic human rights. The Chief Minister said that not providing Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi with winter protection items is an act of cruelty, and that the fake government is breaking all records of authoritarianism. He said that discriminatory and step-motherly treatment is being meted out to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is unacceptable. He said that the decision to withdraw Action in Aid of Civil Power has already been taken; however, the process is being delayed due to the federation’s failure to provide details of terrorist detention centres. He clarified that the absence of details regarding detained terrorists could create security concerns upon the withdrawal of Action in Aid of Civil Power. The Chief Minister termed the federal government’s move to declare political parties proscribed under the Anti-Terrorism Act as wrong, and directed that the list of political workers included in Schedule Four be reviewed afresh to provide relief. He said that the Northern Bypass project has been delayed by the federation since 2010, resulting in the project cost increasing from Rs 3 billion to Rs 31 billion. He clarified that the provincial government has accelerated the project by providing Rs 5 billion from the provincial budget. The Chief Minister said that a special committee is being formed in the provincial assembly to investigate alleged rigging in the February 8 elections, and that provincial employees will be summoned and questioned regarding electoral rigging. He said that the security forces are our protectors and we are proud of them, but grievances are directed at our own people. He said that on one hand terrorist attacks kill civilians, while on the other hand civilians are martyred as collateral damage. He said that legislation is needed regarding civilian casualties caused by drone and aerial attacks. The Chief Minister said that the federation is not providing the promised funds for Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs), and that the provincial government has so far spent Rs 7.5 billion from its own resources. He said that after the announcement of operations, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are displaced and left to the province, placing a heavy financial burden on provincial resources. So far, Rs 10 billion has been spent, and there is a risk of further losses amounting to Rs 100 billion. He said that due to decisions taken behind closed doors, GDP has fallen from 6.1 percent to 2-3 percent, while public debt has increased from Rs 43,000 billion to Rs 80,000 billion. He said that due to unemployment and inflation, youth are leaving the country. The Chief Minister said that military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are being imposed without the approval of the provincial assembly and provincial government, whereas it is essential to take all stakeholders, tribal elders, and political and religious leadership into confidence in order to establish sustainable peace in the province. He said that despite 22 major operations and 14,000 intelligence-based operations, terrorism has not been eliminated. The Chief Minister said that the Radio Pakistan incident was a conspiracy against PTI, and that a special committee of the provincial assembly has been constituted to investigate the incident, one meeting of which has already been held.
The 46th meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Cabinet was held on Thursday in Peshawar with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muhammad Sohail Afridi in the chair. Cabinet members, the Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretaries, Administrative Secretaries, and the Advocate General attended the meeting.
Briefing on the cabinet’s key decisions, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Information and Public Relations, Shafi Jan, said that the cabinet approved several important measures aimed at public welfare. These included the introduction of artificial intelligence education in schools, promotion of positive youth activities, improvement of judicial infrastructure, prison reforms, legislative initiatives, and approval of funds for development schemes and relief activities.
He said that the cabinet approved Rs 2,684 million for improving facilities in prisons and strengthening security arrangements. The allocated funds will be utilized to address the shortage of basic facilities in various prisons and for the procurement of modern security equipment, Shafi Jan said.
The cabinet also approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Testing and Evaluation Agency Bill 2025 and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minerals Development and Management Company Bill 2025. According to the Special Assistant, the latter bill will provide a formal legal framework to the Minerals Development and Management Company operating in the province.
The meeting approved a Rs 32 million grant-in-aid for the construction of science and computer laboratories at the Atfal Academy, Wana. In addition, Rs 28 million was approved as cash awards to encourage athletes who secured medals in the 35th National Games.
According to him, the cabinet approved the transfer of government land to the Sports Department for the establishment of a Jawan Markaz in District Karak. It also approved the provision of land for the establishment of a Shamshan Ghat for the Hindu and Sikh communities in Dera Ismail Khan.
For the rehabilitation of people affected by the August 2025 floods, the cabinet, he said, approved a relief package worth Rs 1,136 million. The meeting also approved the provision of vehicles for eight mobile service units of the Population Department in the merged districts, along with the purchase of a bus for the Regional Training Institute (South).
Shafi Jan said that under the FATA University Project, the cabinet approved the establishment of a Mines and Minerals Value Addition Hub at a cost of Rs 2,500 million. Furthermore, Rs 300 million was approved under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Foundation Scholarship Endowment Fund for students from the merged districts.
The cabinet approved the allocation of two kanals of land for the establishment of a NADRA office in Kohat and sanctioned an increase in the cost of a development scheme of the Kohat Institute of Medical Sciences.
For the improvement of the justice system, the cabinet approved Rs 298 million for judicial infrastructure projects. It also approved the inclusion of artificial intelligence courses in the computer science curriculum for students from Grade six to Grade 12.
The cabinet further approved the draft Memorandum of Understanding to declare Peshawar and New York as sister cities, a move expected to promote cooperation in cultural, trade, economic, educational, and governance sectors. The cabinet also approved the provision of 198 kanals of land for the establishment of two new graveyards in Peshawar.