PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to issue licences of firearms of prohibited bore to legal practitioners in the province.

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, who chaired the cabinet’s meeting, directed authorities to develop a mechanism for the issuance of those licences to the common people as well, according to an official statement.

The cabinet also decided that the burning of old tyres for industrial activities would be banned in the province for one year to check environmental pollution.

It approved the establishment of a special unit for the investigation of sex crimes in all districts under the Anti-Rape (Investigation & Trial) Act, 2021, as well as three new tehsils, including Talashin Lower Dir district, Utmankhel in Malakand district and Tanawal in Mansehra district.

During the meeting attended by ministers and administrative secretaries, approval was also accorded to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mineral Auction Rules, 2022, a ‘digital literacy’ training programme for cabinet members to promote e-governance and paperless working in government offices, and extension of the tenure of 80 muawin qazis in Malakand division in light of Para VI of Sharia Nizam Adal Regulations.

Three new tehsils, special unit for sex crime probe also okayed

The forum approved the establishment of seven sports grounds on the land of the auqaf department in Mardan, including 50 kanals near the women’s university, 30 kanals in Shahbaz Ghari area, 50 kanals in Ghalla Dher, 30 kanals in Shamatpur, 20 kanals in Turoo Khas, 40 kanals in Kandar and 66 kanals in Muhib Banda.

Besides the approval of the upgradation of the Swabi Sports Complex on 30 kanals of land leased out by the auqaf department, it also allowed the transfer of 24.11 marlas of land from the police department to the communication and works department to construct a road in Mohallah Qaziabad of Malikpura union council in Abbottabad district with more than 15,000 residents to benefit from the initiative.

The cabinet approved the repeal of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Housing Authority Service Rules, 2010, as the service rules are no longer required after the issuance of the Provincial Housing Authority Service Regulations, 2022.

It also gave the go-ahead to appoint Hifzur Rehman as the technocrat member of the Local Government Commission and grant three-year service extension to chief executive officer of the KP Economic Zones Development and Management Company Javed Iqbal.

The chief minister lauded the overall performance of the government-own company and ordered “result-oriented” steps to further improve it as well as completion of projects on time.

Service extension for Mr Iqbal was proposed by the EZDMC’s human resources committee in August this year.

Industries secretary Saqib Raza Aslam told Dawn that the proposal was made in light of the government’s directions to appoint officials to key positions a few months before the end of the incumbents to“ensure continuity.”

The cabinet also granted approval to the appointment of Abid Sattar and Dr Alia Hashmi Khan as members to the board of directors of the Bank of Khyber to fill vacancies.

It approved the Tehsil Council (Procedure for Conduct of Business and Meetings) By-Laws, 2022. The government is empowered by Section 113 of Local Government Act, 2013, to make model by-laws for local governments to “ensure uniformity in the affairs of all local governments.”

Also, a proposal to declare Bihac of Bosnia and Abbottabad twin cities came under discussion in the meeting. The forum decided to send the memorandum of understanding for the purpose to Bihac’s authorities through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The cabinet approved a special compensation of Rs1 million for the family of private employee Asif of Chakaiser area in Shangla district, who died from an electric shock in Mansehra district lately.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2022