PESHAWAR: KP provincial cabinet has approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commerce and Trade Statistics Rules, 2026, under Rule 19 (1) (a) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Rules of Business, 1985.
The cabinet during its 54th meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi, approved the constitution of the Debt Management Committee under Section 11(4) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Management Act, 2022.
The Committee will formulate policies for the effective functioning of the Debt Management Unit in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
The Cabinet also approved the allocation of Rs30 million for engaging the services of a law firm or private legal counsel to pursue the province’s case relating to the National Finance Commission (NFC) before the competent constitutional forum.
Recognising that the matter involves a continuous and long-term legal process, the Cabinet authorised the Finance Department to independently select and engage law firms or private legal counsel, as and when required, and process all contractual obligations at the departmental level to ensure timely action and avoid procedural delays.
The decision is aimed at strengthening the province’s legal efforts to secure its constitutional and financial rights under the NFC Award through all available legal avenues.
The cabinet also approved the establishment of the Digital Governance Enablement Unit (Digital-GEU) in the Finance Department, which will serve as a permanent unit to sustain and enhance the use of digital workspaces across government departments.
It approved an amendment to Schedule-IV of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Letters of Administration and Succession Certificates Rules, 2021, granting a complete waiver of all prescribed fees for obtaining Letters of Administration and Succession Certificates by the legal heirs of martyrs.
The exemption will apply to the families of martyrs of the Armed Forces, Police, and Paramilitary Forces, as well as civil servants who embraced martyrdom while performing official duties and civilians martyred in armed conflict or terrorist incidents.
It approved the transfer of two kanals of state land situated at Mouza Ratta Kulachi, Tehsil and District D I Khan, in favour of NADRA, subject to the payment of Rs. 84 million, applicable taxes, mutation charges, and completion of all codal formalities, for the construction of a Regional NADRA Office.
It approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Resources for Inclusive Development (PRID) Programme with a financing envelope of USD 200 million. The programme will introduce reforms in revenue mobilisation, improve the efficiency and prioritisation of public expenditures, and strengthen the province’s fiscal and service delivery data ecosystem.
It also approved the extension of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Educational and Training Institutions Ordinance, 1971, to the newly established Model School Battagram.
The Cabinet also approved the closure of the Driving School of the Transport Department and the placement of its existing staff in a Driving School Cell/Unit to be established within the Directorate of Transport.
The new unit will regulate existing and future private-sector driving schools using the existing human resource strength.
It approved the closure of the Agriculture Department’s project titled “Water Conservation in Barani Areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” and sanctioned the payment of outstanding liabilities amounting to Rs. 26.995 million incurred under various project interventions.
It also approved the release of Rs. 2.773 million to clear the salaries of project employees up to June 30, 2025.
The Cabinet approved a set of amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Care Commission Act, 2015, aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the legislation and strengthening the institutional role of the Health Care Commission.
It approved the allocation of Rs. 151.734 million for the transitional period from July 1 to December 31, 2026, and fixed a budget ceiling of Rs. 174.495 million for the period from January 1 to June 30, 2027, to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of Government General Hospital Nishtarabad, Peshawar.
It also approved the extension of the existing operational contract until December 31, 2026, while directing that the hospital be outsourced through the Health Foundation during the six-month transition period, or earlier if the process is completed before the deadline.
The decision is aimed at ensuring the continued delivery of quality healthcare services at the 100-bed multi-specialty public hospital established under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Human Capital Investment Project (KP-HCIP) with financial assistance from the World Bank in June 2020.
The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a Medical College in the existing building of the Regional Professional Development Center (Male), Jamrud, in District Khyber.
On the recommendations of the Cabinet Standing Committee, the Cabinet approved the extension of the Revised Shuhada Package, 2025, currently admissible to police personnel, to the personnel of the Narcotics Control Wing of the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department.
It approved the engagement of a senior constitutional counsel, in addition to the Advocate General, to ensure effective representation and prosecution of the pending Civil Petition for Leave to Appeal (CPLA) before the Supreme Court concerning the Federal Excise Duty (FED) on unmanufactured tobacco.
The Cabinet further directed the Law, Excise, Agriculture, and Finance Departments to jointly examine and submit proposals on alternative levy mechanisms, including the imposition of an agricultural cess or the introduction of an appropriate regulatory framework, consistent with the Province’s legislative competence, for the government’s consideration.
The Cabinet also approved the Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority Budget Estimates for FY 2025-26.
It approved a mechanism for the purity testing and valuation of gold recovered by NAB in the Kohistan financial scandal through a registered assayer.
It was informed that while implementing the previously approved framework for the receipt, custody, valuation and disposal of Kohistan scandal assets, it became necessary to determine the precise operational procedure followed by the Federal authorities for handling recovered material described as “said to be gold” prior to its monetisation.
In this regard, the Administration Department initiated consultations with the State Bank of Pakistan and Pakistan Mint, Lahore, to ensure that the valuation and disposal process is carried out in accordance with established standards and procedures.
The cabinet approved the release of additional funds amounting to Rs. 5,499.997 million to provide compensation to 6,900 additional GRC-verified Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDP) families from Tirah.
The approved funds will also cover the payment of the monthly food support allowance to eligible families in accordance with their prescribed entitlement.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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