Interim chief minister aims to cut costs in K-P

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Caretaker Chief Minister, Muhammad Azam Khan, made a resolute statement on Thursday, highlighting his administration’s commitment to curbing unnecessary expenditures while prioritizing essential services. He issued a directive to reclaim government vehicles from unauthorized individuals and officials, urging swift compliance reports to be submitted to the CM’s office.

The CM underscored the need for austerity measures to optimize the prudent utilization of public funds. He stressed the importance of directing these resources toward projects and initiatives that offer tangible benefits to the public.

In a bid to actualize this approach, the chief minister chaired a meeting with high-ranking civil officers to discuss the pivotal role of civil servants in upholding meritocracy and ensuring independence from political influence.

During the meeting, Azam Khan referenced the enduring wisdom of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He recalled Jinnah’s address to civil officers in Peshawar back in April 1948, where the founder of the nation emphasized the critical role civil servants play in maintaining an administration marked by transparency and efficiency.

Delving into the caretaker government’s crucial role in ensuring equitable elections, the CM acknowledged that its function is pivotal in creating a level playing field for all political parties, safeguarding democratic rights.

Held at the cabinet room of the civil secretariat, the meeting saw the presence of Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, Additional Chief Secretary Muhammad Zubair Asghar Qureshi, Senior Member Board of Revenue, and all administrative secretaries.

Azam Khan underscored the necessity for government officers to execute their duties with unwavering dedication, insulated from external pressures. He emphasized that decisions must rest solely on grounds of competence, fairness, and citizen welfare.

His commitment to fostering an environment conducive to the independent and efficient performance of civil officers was reaffirmed.

The gathering served as a testament to the government’s determination to cultivate an administration centered on transparency, accountability, and the public’s best interests. Reflecting on Quaid’s speech, Azam Khan stated that it falls upon civil servants to serve the nation with utmost dedication, integrity, and impartiality. He underscored the need for transparency in matters related to financial affairs, postings/transfers, and general administration.

In the pursuit of this ethos, the CM instructed that corruption cases be promptly reported to both the CM’s office and the chief secretary’s office. Expressing a firm stance on irregular postings, he urged officers to discourage and report such occurrences, while also identifying and addressing illegal appointments made by previous governments. These actions, he emphasized, are pivotal to ensuring free and fair elections in the province.

Azam Khan stressed the importance of seeking the input of the law department and advocate general on complex matters to ensure clarity and preempt future complications. In the realm of good governance, he directed the chief secretary to conduct monthly performance review meetings for all departments and regularly present these evaluations to the Chief Minister’s office.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2023.