PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet on Wednesday approved proposed amendments to the KP Police Act, 2017, to give certain powers from the inspector general of police back to the chief minister.

The cabinet met here with Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in the chair.

The other participants included ministers, advisers and special assistants to the chief minister, chief secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, inspector general of police Akhtar Hayat Khan, additional chief secretaries, and administrative secretaries.

The cabinet approved “vital amendments to the KP Police Act, 2017, after identifying several gaps and ambiguities that hinder effective law enforcement,” according to an official statement.

It added that the proposed changes were meant to strengthen police’s capabilities, enhance accountability, improve community-police relations, and address shortcomings in the laws.

Insists move to strengthen police’s capabilities, increase accountability

“The purpose of these amendments is to maintain internal discipline, achieve high performance standards, and ensure uniform service delivery. The amendments also incorporate the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Complaint Authority Act, 2024, enabling swift inquiries into complaints against police misconduct,” it said.

In 2017, the KP government allowed the operational autonomy to the police department through the KP Police Act, 2017, empowering the IGP to make transfers and postings of senior officials after a lengthy tug of war between police and bureaucracy.

Official sources said that the draft amendments proposed taking back the powers for transferring and posting of BPS-18 and BPS-19 officers from the police chief for their transfer to the chief minister.

They added that the amendments were also related to the Police Complaints Authority for the accountability of police personnel. However, the Public Safety Commissions and Regional Police Complaints Authorities proposed in the original legislation could not be set up in seven years due to a lack of interest on part of the provincial government.

The cabinet also approved an increase in the budget for de-radicalisation or rehabilitation centres in merged districts programme, raising the total cost to Rs1.7 billion.

“This initiative, launched in response to radicalisation in the merged districts, focuses on rehabilitating detainees from military operations. Two de-radicalisation centres, Sabaoon II, in Khyber and Ujala in South Waziristan, have been established. The programme offers psychological support, religious education, and vocational training to help individuals reintegrate into society,” read the official statement.

According to the statement, the cabinet also authorised the reallocation of un-utilised loan funds received from the French Development Agency, currently held by TransPeshawar, the operator of the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit, for the completion of remaining works on the BRT project.

Of the £31.87429 million disbursed by AFD, £12.8522 million has been used, leaving a balance of £19.0221 million (Rs 5.645 billion), which will now be directed to the Peshawar Development Authority for BRT completion, according to the statement.

The cabinet also approved a supplementary grant of Rs495 million for partial operationalisation of the under-construction Swabi sub-jail to address overcrowding.

“The jail, built in 1894, is currently in a deplorable condition and houses 259 prisoners against a capacity of 130. The construction of District Jail Swabi (Phase II), which began in 2017 at a cost of Rs1.3 billion, will alleviate these challenges.”

Also, the cabinet approved amendments to the KP Prisons Rules, 2018, enhancing the diet menu for prisoners, offering chicken karahi, rice joshi, white channa, and lobia.

“The quantity of atta for breakfast paratha has been increased from 75 grams to 100 grams, while sugar and ghee portions have been increased as well. On auspicious occasions, the menu will now offer chicken along with beef for midday and evening meals.”

For the academic year 2024-25, the cabinet approved the distribution policy for 333 reserved seats in medical and dental colleges across 25 institutions nationwide, allocated for candidates from the merged tribal districts.

It approved the appointment of the chairman and members of the KP Zakat and Ushr Council and the renaming of Government Post Graduate College Khar to Government Shaheed Rehanzeb College Khar.

The cabinet confirmed the appointment of vice chairman of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade and the second revision of PC-I for the “Feasibility Study and Establishment of Peasantries and Wildlife Parks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

It also approved amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Arms and Ammunition Licensing Policy, 2024, to streamline the procedures for the district arms licensing committee.

A report of the committee for the land acquisition of the General Bus Stand at Qambar Bypass, Mingora Swat, was also endorsed in the meeting.

In line with the judgement of the Peshawar High Court, the cabinet approved the personal upgradation of three surveyors from the defunct Fata Development Corporation.

Additionally, it approved a one-step upgradation for petitioner employees of the same organisation as well as the financial assistance for the medical treatment of Altaf Hussain.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2024