K-P to form judicial panel on May 9

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa cabinet has approved the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 riots and vandalism incidents in the province.

The decision was taken during the ninth meeting of the provincial cabinet held on Thursday.

The meeting, presided over by K-P Chief Minister Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur, was attended by cabinet members, chief secretary, additional chief secretary home and relevant administrative secretaries.

The judicial inquiry will expose the role of those who masterminded and executed the May 9 incidents.

It was reported that a summary of the May 9 incidents has been prepared, and a request will now be made to the Peshawar High Court to form a judicial commission.

The summary included issues related to the arrest and harassment of PTI leaders and workers, as well as the incidents connected to May 9. It called for the public release of CCTV footage related to the events occurred on the day.

The summary also covered issues such as barring the PTI from using its electoral symbol ‘bat’ in the general elections and the caretaker setup remaining in government beyond the legal limit of 90 days.

Earlier, the K-P government had passed a resolution to establish a judicial commission to probe the May 9-related incidents.

The lawmakers through the resolution demanded the withdrawal of cases against PTI founder and former premier Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi.

The country witnessed upheaval on May 9 last year following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan by the paramilitary Rangers in a graft case from the Islamabad High Court premises.

Protesters attacked state and military installations, including the GHQ in Rawalpindi and Corps Commander’s House in Lahore, commonly known as Jinnah House. The Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar was also set on fire.

The government responded with a mobile internet blockade and a crackdown against PTI leaders, workers, and supporters, as well as those perceived to be allied with the party’s cause within the media and legal fraternity.

The events of the day reportedly left eight protesters dead, over 190 police officers injured, and hundreds arrested.

Meanwhile, the cabinet on Thursday also approved the formal conveying of the provincial assembly 11th resolution to the federal government regarding the release of former prime minister Imran Khan and all political prisoners.

It also approved the formal conveyance of the 15th resolution to the federal government, expressing solidarity with the Iranian people following the tragic helicopter incident that resulted in the demise of the Iranian president and other dignitaries.

The cabinet also approved the creation of 565 posts for the police in southern districts. This decision aligns with the policy to strengthen the police force and improve law and order.

It sanctioned necessary amendments to the K-P Zakat and Usher Act 2011 to establish the Philanthropic Contribution Fund. As an initial donation, cabinet members will contribute one month’s salary.

Similarly, necessary amendments will also be made to revamp the Zakat and Usher Council, district and local zakat committees, and the formation of scrutiny committees at provincial and district levels.

Through these amendments, the department will establish a Zakat Management Information System to ensure effective management of Zakat and Usher distribution.

To address the financial needs of Cadet College Razmak in North Waziristan, Cadet College Spinkai, and Cadet College Wana in South Waziristan, the provincial cabinet approved the provision of an additional fund amounting to Rs319.627 million.

Following the successful transition from the old traffic system to the enhanced traffic warden system in Peshawar, Swat, and Abbottabad, the provincial cabinet approved its extension to the districts of DI Khan, Bannu, Kohat, and Mardan.

The provincial cabinet approved the ‘Cloud First Policy,’ which will introduce cloud computing across the province. This policy aims to integrate cloud computing into government departments, facilitating centralized data management and ensuring secure archival practices.

This initiative aims to enhance efficiency, reduce duplication, improve data accessibility, and improve overall governance.

The provincial cabinet okayed the constitution of a cabinet committee to ensure the effective utilization and disposal of spare government land in Mardan, which was previously purchased for various government schemes but could not be utilized effectively. The committee will submit its recommendations within 15 days.

It sanctioned a 100 per cent increase in room rents to balance the expenditure and income of K-P Houses in Islamabad and Abbottabad, as well as the Shahi Mehman Khana in Peshawar. Additionally, approval was granted for outsourcing the collection of tobacco cess to ensure increased revenue.

The cabinet also okayed conducting of MDCAT 2024 by Khyber Medical University. Furthermore, it approved the withdrawal of agreement with the Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab (IDAP) which was previously signed for the revamping of DHQ hospitals in K-P due to poor progress.

It sanctioned the reconstitution of the supervisory committee, previously formed by the caretaker government, to oversee the affairs of outsourced hospitals in the merged districts. This is aimed at expediting the functionalization of these hospitals.