Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shahab Ali Shah, chaired a review meeting on the good governance roadmap interventions of the Construction and Works (C&W), Minerals and Energy, and Power Departments, attended by Secretaries and relevant officials.

The meeting reviewed key interventions of the C&W department, with the Chief Secretary focusing on three critical areas. Directions were given on adopting light gauge structures for cost-effectiveness and time-saving; initially eight schools have been identified for such structures, with PC1 ready, promising one-third less construction time and 50 years of sustainability. The CS directed an internal departmental review of the roadmap for enhanced output.

Achievements include a 100 percent shift to E-Pads, with directives to ensure 100 percent e-procurement, streamlining bid submission, call deposits, and work analysis online. C&W is to acquire high-end technical expertise to bolster capacity, with a Strategic Planning Design and Support Unit (SPDSU) legal draft ready. SPDSU is envisioned to drive excellence and quality assurance with dedicated HR and tools.

Discussions covered major projects like the Peshawar-DI Khan Motorway (365 km), Swat Motorway Phase 2, and operationalizing RAMS for condition assessment of roads, enabling data-driven assessments. RAMS already operationalized in Peshawar, DI Khan and Haripur.

Regarding the Mines and Minerals Development Department, efforts are ongoing for geological mapping of KP covering 26 maps, crucial for industrial development. The Chief Secretary stressed the importance of mapping, linkage to industrial growth, aiming to map KP’s mining potential by June 2026 alongside developing frameworks to tap this potential. Initiatives include regular site inspections, data upload on the Mining Cadastral System, scholarships for miners’ children, system for digitized payments, and introducing cards for mine labor linked to online registration. Chief Secretary stated that (KPMDMCL) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minerals Development and Management Company Limited operationalization is crucial for project execution and investment facilitation.

For the Energy and Power Department, focus areas included establishing an international renewable energy certificate framework to leverage KP’s clean energy potential, and progress on projects like Madyan hydropower project, Kalam Gabral (88 MW), and Balakot (300 MW), with e-procurement implementation via E-Pads completed.

The Chief Secretary emphasized categorization of departments based on roadmap interventions, underscoring the government’s commitment to development and effective governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Ms. Pernille Ironside, the newly appointed Country Representative of UNICEF, met with Shahab Ali Shah, Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for an introductory meeting in Peshawar on Wednesday. They agreed to further strengthen the strategic partnership and enhance future cooperation between UNICEF and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.