Latest news with #Khyber-PakhtunkhwaAssembly
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Assembly legal advisor resigns
The Legal Advisor to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Ali Azeem Afridi has tendered his resignation, citing concerns over alleged illegal activities within the assembly. In a letter addressed to the Speaker, Afridi stated that while he was appointed based on merit and legal expertise, his conscience no longer allows him to remain silent on matters he believes violate the Constitution and the law. However, he emphasized that his role as a legal advisor had been more impactful and clarified that he could not be part of any illegal or unconstitutional activities under any circumstances. According to him, this is the right time to step down from the position, and he has made a final decision. He mentioned that he would now prioritize his legal practice. A copy of his resignation was also sent to the Secretary of the provincial assembly. On the other hand, according to the spokesperson for the K-P Assembly Secretariat, Ali Azim Advocate was appointed as Legal Advisor during the tenure of the previous government. The Assembly Secretariat, keeping in view institutional policy and discipline, reassessed his services. Based on this reassessment, Ali Azim was advised to resign respectfully. The spokesperson stated that he was aware of the likely outcome, but instead of following the advice, he fabricated a narrative. There were also serious reservations from the PTI's subsidiary organization, Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF), regarding Ali Azim's political and personal activities. The ILF had repeatedly pointed out his involvement in such activities.
Express Tribune
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PA panel seeks probe into exam scandal
A meeting of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly's Standing Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education, chaired by MPA Taj Mohammad, convened to address serious concerns surrounding recent controversies in the education sector, including the Mardan Board examination paper leak scandal. The session was attended by prominent members of the provincial assembly, including Iftikhar Mashwani, Ahmad Kundi, Asma Alam, Shehla Bano, Sobia Shahid, Zubair Khan, Muhammad Aftab Haider, Hamidur Rehman, and Abdul Salam Khan. The committee was given a comprehensive briefing on the Mardan Board scandal, where members expressed grave reservations over the conduct of the Board's Controller. They alleged that the official had misled the committee in previous proceedings by providing false statements, prompting the committee to order a thorough inquiry into the matter. Lawmakers further accused an organized group of monopolizing examination-related duties by assigning responsibilities and exam hall allocations to hand-picked individuals, allegedly to facilitate cheating for preferred candidates. The committee demanded an end to such favoritism and called for strict merit-based reforms. In addition, concerns were raised over the persistent non-compliance with transfer orders within the Education Department, both between schools and administrative offices. The department was directed to investigate the issue and present a detailed report in the next session. The committee was also informed that in some districts, the passing criteria for female candidates in the ETEA test had been lowered from 50% to 33% in an effort to fill vacant posts, following widespread underperformance. This controversial adjustment sparked further debate over the integrity of recruitment practices. The committee concluded by emphasizing the need for transparent investigations into all issues raised, urging that merit be upheld and all recommendations be implemented without delay to restore public trust in the province's education system. Meanwhile, the fourth meeting of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Task Force of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was held in the Assembly's conference room under the chairmanship of Deputy Convener MPA Arif Ahmadzai.
Express Tribune
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Rs40b Kohistan scandal: investigators 'complicit'
Leader of the Opposition in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Dr. Ibadullah, has alleged that individuals investigating the massive Rs40 billion financial scandal in Kohistan are themselves involved in the corruption. He further claimed that the province's Chief Executive remains unaware of the situation. Addressing an emergency press conference at the provincial assembly, Dr Ibadullah stated, "In this province, not even a peon can be transferred without money changing hands. Yet the Chief Executive claims ignorance of a scandal worth billions." He further alleged that the very individuals tasked with investigating the scandal are themselves complicit in the corruption. Ibadullah was accompanied by MPA Sajjadullah of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), who also represents Kohistan. The opposition leader drew comparisons with the 2014 Panama Papers controversy, noting, "At that time, PTI leaders raised a storm over Rs3 billion. Now, under their own government, Rs40 billion has vanished in just six years." He questioned the potential use of the embezzled funds, suggesting, "Was this money used to fund the Islamabad march, the May 9 agitation, or opposition to the Army Chief's appointment?" He directly accused the province's Chief Executive of involvement in the scandal, criticizing his silence on the issue. "Those in PTI who once couldn't afford a rickshaw now own commercial plots worth billions in Islamabad," he claimed. He praised the Speaker of the Assembly for referring the Kohistan scandal to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for investigation, but called it an example of institutional failure. He pointed to the involvement of the Communication and Works (C&W) Department, the Accountant General's office, and the Finance Department.
Express Tribune
05-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
991 industrial units operational in K-P
The industrialists believe that addressing these fundamental issues will unlock the tremendous potential of the HITE to accommodate more industries. photo: file In a recent session of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, it was revealed that 991 small industrial units are currently operational across the province, while only nine remain inactive. However, of the 218 large industrial units, 129 are reportedly struggling due to financial crisis. The session, chaired by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, included a detailed question-and-answer segment during which Provincial Minister for Industries Abdul Karim responded to queries raised by MPA Sobia Shahid. He stated that reasons behind the closure of some industrial units vary as five units are non-functional due to ongoing court cases and 26 due to electricity-related issues. One due to the impact of COVID-19 while five due to customs-related complications and three owing to a shortage of raw materials. He said that eight units were non-functional due to internal disputes among directors while four due to weak marketing and one due to security concerns The minister added that between 90 and 100 industrial units were successfully revived during the previous government's tenure. During the session, JUI-F lawmaker Adnan Khan raised concerns about the declining trend in vehicle registrations across the province. He pointed out that registrations have dropped from 106,000 in 202122 to 95,000 in 202223, and further to 66,000 in the current fiscal year. He warned that the drop poses a threat to provincial revenues, and questioned why some districts report high vehicle registration figures despite lower revenue collection. Responding to the issue, Minister for Excise and Taxation Khaliqur Rehman explained that the discrepancy is partly due to the inclusion of motorcycle registrations in the total figures, which affects revenue projections. He noted that 7,078 more vehicles have been registered this year compared to the previous year, resulting in an overall increase in revenue. Regarding imported vehicles, the minister clarified that each vehicle's tax status is verified before registration.
Express Tribune
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Assembly condemns India's warmongering
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution strongly condemning India's hostile behavior following the Pahalgam incident and its threats regarding the Indus Waters Treaty. The resolution, moved by PPP parliamentary leader Ahmad Karim Kundi, reaffirmed the Assembly's full support for Pakistan's government and armed forces in safeguarding the country's national interests. It condemned India's aggressive actions, including threats to abrogate Indus Waters Treaty and acts of aggression against Pakistan. The Assembly reiterated its full support for the government's efforts to protect Pakistan's national interests and endorsed every necessary step taken in this regard. It also called upon the international community to take immediate notice of India's violations of international obligations and to play its role in maintaining peace and stability in the region. The Assembly further expressed solidarity with the people and armed forces of Pakistan, vowing to stand with them in defending the motherland. Earlier, speaking on the issue, Ahmad Karim Kundi said that the whole world knows that Pakistan is a country affected by terrorism. Pakistan has lost billions of dollars and thousands of lives in the war against terrorism. India is trying to frame Pakistan over the Pahalgam incident. He condemned the incident and India's intentions behind it, expressing confidence in the country's defense institutions. He said that the house stands with state institutions in condemning the incident and will pass a resolution in this regard. Treasury member Shafeeullah said that 80,000 Pakistanis have been martyred in the war against terrorism, and terrorist incidents occur daily in the country. He alleged that India is directly involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan. The Assembly also unanimously passed resolutions demanding a government residence for deputy speaker provincial assembly and unconditional release of Ali Wazir. A resolution was moved by ANP member Nisar Baz, expressing concern over the repeated arrests and cases against former Member of the National Assembly Ali Wazir. The resolution stated that Ali Wazir is currently seriously ill and being denied medical treatment. He is being transferred from one jail to another, affecting his physical and mental health, which is a clear violation of human rights. It demanded unconditional release of Ali Wazeer and withdrawal of fake cases against him. The resolution regarding deputy speaker's residence was moved by MPA Abdul Kabir Khan, stating that in a democratic country, elected representatives are provided with official residences. However, provincial deputy Speaker does not have an official residence, and the current deputy speaker has to search for a government residence.
