Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Sunday chaired his first formal meeting, announcing a series of major administrative and governance reforms aimed at protecting the people’s mandate, ensuring transparency, and strengthening political freedoms in the province.
Referring to the February 8, 2024 general elections, the chief minister said attempts had been made to undermine the public mandate, but the bureaucracy and police in KP “stood firm under pressure” to safeguard the will of the people, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the ruling party in KP, said in a statement.
He commended their role, saying those who resisted external influence and acted impartially would be rewarded, while officers who failed to uphold public trust would face strict disciplinary action.
Afridi directed the chief secretary to identify officials who did not support democratic principles during the electoral process and initiate proceedings against them.
“We will reward integrity and punish misconduct, the era of impunity is over,” he said.
In a key announcement, the chief minister paid tribute to slain journalist Arshad Sharif and announced the establishment of the University of Investigative and Modern Journalism in his name, describing it as a step toward strengthening independent journalism and investigative reporting in Pakistan.
Reiterating his commitment to “clean and people-centered governance,” Afridi said a strict zero-tolerance policy on corruption would be enforced.
“No official involved in corrupt practices will be spared. Every government servant must treat public service as their foremost duty. Officers who fail to satisfy the public will not retain their posts,” he said.
Emphasizing the province’s democratic ethos, Afridi also announced that no political worker would be detained under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).
“Freedom of expression is a constitutional right. Political freedom will be respected, and no arrests will be made on politically motivated FIRs,” he declared, vowing to preserve KP’s tradition of political openness and constitutional rights.
Afridi concluded by asserting that his government’s mission was to bring “genuine change” rather than follow conventional governance patterns. “I have not come to rule in a traditional way. I have come to deliver real change, to ensure that people feel their vote truly matters,” he said.
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