Peshawar - The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Law, Human Rights, and Parliamentary Affairs, Aftab Alam, stated on Wednesday that the provincial government is actively pursuing an agenda focused on rule of law, transparency, and institutional reforms. He emphasized that resolving all public interest matters in accordance with the constitution and law remains the government's topmost priority. He expressed these views while chairing a meeting of the Cabinet-constituted Standing Committee.
Meeting Attendees and Agenda
The meeting was attended by Minister for Public Health Engineering Fazal Shakoor Khan, Advisor on Forests and Environment Pir Musawir Khan, and Advisor on Finance Muzammil Aslam via Zoom. Senior officials, including the Secretaries of Local Government, Forests and Environment, Relief and Civil Defense, Transport, Home, and Finance, alongside representatives from the Advocate General's Office and the Forest Department, were also present.
Cultural Center Proposal
The committee deliberated on a proposal to allocate land for the establishment of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and China Cultural Centre. The forum was informed that this project would further strengthen cultural ties between the two nations and open new avenues for cultural and educational activities in the province. The committee directed the relevant departments to submit final recommendations after fulfilling all legal and administrative requirements.
BRT Dues and Financial Matters
Furthermore, the meeting reviewed pending financial matters between the Peshawar Cantonment Board and the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Officials briefed the committee on the ongoing progress, noting that efforts are underway to resolve outstanding issues through mutual consultation. The committee directed that a viable action plan be formulated to settle all dues swiftly, ensuring public interest and legal compliance.
Amendments to Development Authority Acts
The Standing Committee thoroughly reviewed the recommendations of the cabinet sub-committee regarding proposed amendments to the Peshawar Development Authority Act 2017 and the Urban Areas Development Authority Act. The meeting also scrutinized matters pertaining to the plot allotment policy. Participants were informed that under the 1989 policy of the former Peshawar Urban Development Board, a two percent quota was reserved for employees in every housing scheme, subject to a minimum of two years of satisfactory service. In 2016, this condition was amended to reduce the required service length to one year; however, the Peshawar High Court subsequently declared the amendment null and void.
Supreme Court Directive
The Supreme Court of Pakistan upheld the High Court's decision and directed the formation of a high-powered committee to investigate and review the matter. Evaluating the legal, administrative, and policy dimensions, the Cabinet Committee instructed the concerned departments to devise a future course of action in strict compliance with rules and judicial verdicts. The Advocate General's Office briefed the forum on legal nuances regarding the ongoing litigation, prompting the committee to emphasize balanced and practical legal reforms to improve urban planning and governance.
Forest Protection and Timber Smuggling
The committee also addressed the long-standing dispute regarding illegally felled, valuable timber in the Arandu Gol (Chitral) and Upper Kohistan forest divisions, evaluating its future disposal and enforcement mechanisms. While acknowledging ongoing efforts to protect forest resources, the chair emphasized the need to strengthen inter-departmental coordination and surveillance. The committee ordered a comprehensive strategy to curb timber smuggling and directed indiscriminate action against those responsible.
Civil Defense Restructuring
Additionally, the administrative restructuring of the Civil Defense Department was brought under discussion to make it more functional under the Home and Tribal Affairs Department. To enhance its capacity for emergency response, the committee called for modernizing its administrative and financial frameworks and directed officials to draft comprehensive recommendations.
Conclusion and Directives
Concluding the meeting, the Law Minister directed all relevant departments to ensure the implementation of the decisions and recommendations within the stipulated time frame to guarantee good governance and efficient service delivery to the public.
