Three K-P cities to be twinned with Chinese, Uzbek cities

Cabinet okays shaheed package for families of 98 slain special police force constables

PESHAWAR:

The provincial cabinet has okayed signing of an agreement with China and Uzbekistan under which three cities of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, two cities of China and one city of Uzbekistan will be declared as twin cities. These include Xichang (China) and Haripur, Komang, (China) and Abbottabad and Tarmeez (Uzbekistan) and Peshawar.

A meeting of the cabinet was held here with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair on Friday.
The CM directed all administrative secretaries to ensure framing of rules in their departments under the Acts passed by the provincial assembly within one month timeline and reports to this effect should be presented in the next cabinet meeting.

Cabinet members, acting chief secretary, additional chief secretary and administrative secretaries attended the meeting.

The cabinet discussed 18 regular and five additional agenda items. The cabinet approved amendments in Post Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI) Rules whereby technical staff will be recruited for efficient operationalization of skills laboratory under PGMI. The institute is working under the administrative control of health department and playing an effective role for the education and training of health staff.

The cabinet also okayed signing of an agreement with China and Uzbekistan. The cabinet also approved shuhada package for the families of 98 Special Police Force constables.

The cabinet also approved K-P Schools Bags (limitation and weight) Rules 2021. The provincial assembly has already passed the bill. Under the rules various punishments/fines have been proposed for the violators of public and private schools. The landmark legislation will ease burden of the school-going children carrying heavy bags and address the negative impact on the health of students, particularly the little kids.

The cabinet also approved amendment in K-P Protected Forest Management Rules 2005. This will ensure payment of royalty to the owners.

The cabinet approved an additional grant of Rs525 million for evacuation of dumped timber at Arandu Chitral to Chakdarra. The total confiscated timber is 1.494 cubic feet. In order to ensure self-sufficiency in power production and generate maximum electricity through hydel potential of K-P, the cabinet approved a ten-year draft business model and strategy to ensure financing of ongoing and new hydel projects.

The cabinet on the recommendations of Peshawar High Court (PHC) also approved appointment of Barrister Asfandiyar Khan as member Legal Environment Protection Tribunal on contractual basis. Furthermore, the cabinet gave a go-ahead for the provision of additional land for the establishment of Engineering University and Khyber Medical University in Swat.

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Public Private Partnership Amendment Act 2021 was also approved, paving the way for the online registration of firms. The cabinet also approved cost-sharing agreement between UNDP and K-P government under Strengthening Rule of Law Project to ensure successful implementation of the project.

The main objective of project is to establish an international standard forensic laboratory with a cost of Rs800 million, for which K-P govt has already provided suitable piece of land at Regi Lalma Township, Peshawar.

The cabinet also approved Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Coal Mines Rules 2021 under the K-P Mines Safety Inspection and Regulation Act 2019. The cabinet also approved necessary amendments in K-P Mines and Mineral Act 2017.

Moreover, the cabinet also approved amendments in West Pakistan Land Revenue Rules 1968 with the aim to ensure transparency in revenue records etc. The cabinet further approved extension in waiver in deed fee and mutation fee up to 30th June, 2022 in view of the financial crunch due to the corona pandemic.