The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, approved the establishment of a Witness Protection Board and related units to safeguard witnesses and individuals involved in sensitive criminal proceedings.
Provincial Information Minister Shafi Jan said the board would formulate policy guidelines, oversee their implementation and monitor the performance of relevant units.
He said the provincial government had enacted legislation to protect witnesses and other people associated with investigations, prosecutions and trials of sensitive offences, including terrorism. Under the relevant provisions of the law and rules, the government was required to establish the Witness Protection Board and two protection units.
The cabinet also approved a new government-to-government contract, along with revised rates, for printing and supplying vehicle registration documents. These include polycarbonate smart cards, registration booklets and adhesive stickers under the Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965.
The cabinet further approved a two-month special remission for eligible convicted prisoners, with a formal notification to be issued in accordance with applicable rules and past practice.
A proposal concerning the water supply and distribution mechanism between Galiyat and Murree, including supply rates, outstanding dues and volumes, was also presented before the cabinet.
The cabinet approved referring the matter to the next meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) for resolution.
The provincial government also approved submission of the annual report of the KP Provincial Ombudsman’s Office for 2025 to the provincial assembly.
During the meeting, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi criticised repeated increases in petroleum prices by the federal government, saying they were placing an additional burden on low-income households.
He also criticised the federal government’s reliance on borrowing and claimed that Pakistan’s debt had risen from Rs43 trillion accumulated over 74 years to Rs97 trillion within five years.
“They have added more debt to Pakistan in five years than was accumulated over the previous 74 years,” Afridi said, adding that the burden would ultimately fall on the poor.
The chief minister also criticised recent remarks by his Punjab counterpart, saying that placing personal interests above national interests had become an established practice.
He alleged that such statements were not only against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but also contradicted the national narrative and could provide space to what he described as India’s anti-Pakistan narrative.
Afridi also criticised statements by federal ministers regarding KP, saying they had increased concerns among the province’s people and government about the federal government’s intentions towards the province.
He questioned whether such actions could contribute to dividing the country and stressed that Pakistan belonged equally to all provinces and citizens.
The chief minister warned that discriminatory treatment of smaller provinces could deepen mistrust and fuel resentment, which he said would serve neither the country nor its institutions.
He also expressed concern over what he described as interference by individuals outside relevant government and departmental structures, alleging that attempts were being made to pressure and intimidate government officials.
Afridi referred to his previous tenure as chief minister’s special assistant and said he had cancelled certain contracts related to NLC C&W projects because of poor performance and failure to deliver.
Regarding projects funded by the Asian Development Bank, he said a comprehensive scrutiny process had been conducted and only companies meeting the required merit criteria and possessing complete documentation had qualified.
He said companies with incomplete documents, fraudulent bank guarantees or those seeking qualification through recommendations had been disqualified.
“I have no objection to any company receiving a contract if it meets the requirements on merit and through a transparent process, but attempts to secure contracts through improper means will not be allowed to succeed,” he said.
