KP govt announces commission to probe Radio Pakistan attack case
PESHAWAR: The KP government has decided to investigate the incident of attack on Radio Pakistan, Peshawar occurred on May 10, 2023. During the attack blamed on PTI leader, the building of the Radio Pakistan, Peshawar was vandalized and arsonists put it on fire.
The leadership of PTI rejected the involvement in the incident and demanded inquiry into the incident. The KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, diehard supporter of the PTI- founder Imran Khan in a meeting of the provincial cabinet has formally approved the establishment of an inquiry commission to investigate the Radio Pakistan Peshawar attack case.
The commission will collect all available evidence - including CCTV footage - and submit its findings to the cabinet.
Among the notable approvals was the approval of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Witness Protection Rules 2025, aimed at ensuring the security of witnesses involved in sensitive investigations, prosecutions, and court proceedings under the Witness Protection Act 2021. The cabinet also approved amendments to the Arms Rules 2014 and sanctioned recruitment for the families of martyred officials under the Shuhada Policy.
In the energy sector, the cabinet approved the release of Rs 500 million for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transmission and Grid System Company. It also approved land acquisition for the Madain Hydropower Project, a key component of the government’s plan to expand provincial power generation and transmission infrastructure.
Financial assistance was approved for three indigent patients, including one requiring a transplant. The cabinet permitted the installation of an HVAC system at the Peshawar Museum and approved a scheme to improve sewage infrastructure in tourist areas. In sports, a special grant of Rs 27.7 million was sanctioned for the winners of the Shandur Polo Festival, while boxer Khan Saeed Afridi was granted Rs 2 million in financial support.
The cabinet approved the Child Labour Action Plan 2025–29, under which around 745,000 child labourers will be enrolled in schools over the next five years. Shafiq Jan noted that Bannu Division and Upper Dir currently have the highest rates of child labour in the province.
A Relief Support Fund of Rs 4 billion was also approved for displaced families of North Waziristan who were affected during Operation Zarb-e-Azb. It aid the federal government, responsible for this funding, had not provided support for the past three years.
The KP government will provide every support to its own people. Funding for road improvements in South Waziristan and Swat was also approved.
In a major education sector decision, the cabinet approved a historic allocation of Rs 6.185 billion to address missing facilities in schools. Of this amount, Rs 1.20 billion will be released immediately.
The Special Assistant said this initiative aligns with Imran Khan’s vision of an “education emergency” to improve the province’s schooling infrastructure and standards.
Addressing the cabinet members, the CM reaffirmed his government’s commitment to establishing an interest-free Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, introducing Islamic investment models, enforcing a zero-tolerance policy on corruption, banning personal publicity through government funds, and ensuring transparency and merit-based decision-making.
Referring to the provincial assembly’s unanimous resolution on the mistreatment of Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in jail, he expressed regret that “the elected chief minister of 45 million people is not being allowed to meet his party’s founding chairman.”
He stressed that all government actions would be taken in consultation with elected representatives and in the best public interest. A comprehensive review of all provincial laws will be undertaken to identify gaps and recommend necessary amendments as per public interest.
The meeting was attended by cabinet members, the chief secretary, additional chief secretaries, senior member Board of Revenue, administrative secretaries, and the Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Later, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Information and Public Relations, Shafiq Jan, briefed the media on the cabinet decisions. He said that the cabinet had taken major steps relating to governance reforms, development and welfare schemes, financial matters, and legislative changes.
Shafiq Jan said that the cabinet, in its first session under the leadership of CM Sohail Afridi and the 40th overall meeting, approved more than 50 key decisions during a six-hour sitting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025