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CM to control K-P hiring body powers

Amendment bill transfers authority from governor; debate looms in assembly

Ahtesham Bashir March 28, 2026 1 min read

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afrid. SCREENGRAB

PESHAWAR:

In a significant administrative reform, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has prepared draft amendments to the Public Service Commission Act that will shift key appointment and oversight powers from the Governor to the Chief Minister, further strengthening the role of the elected provincial executive.

The proposed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission (Amendment) Act 2026 is set to be tabled in the provincial assembly on Monday. If passed, the legislation will mark another step in the provincial government's ongoing efforts to consolidate authority traditionally exercised by the Governor under the Constitution.

According to the draft amendments, the power to constitute the Public Service Commission, responsible for recruiting civil servants on merit for provincial government departments, will be transferred from the Governor to the Chief Minister. A dedicated Search and Scrutiny Committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary, will be established to identify and recommend suitable candidates for appointment as Chairman and members of the commission. The committee's recommendations will be forwarded to both the Governor and the Chief Minister for consideration. Under the new provisions, the Chairman and members of the commission will tender their resignations to the provincial government rather than the Governor.

Additionally, the commission will submit its annual performance report directly to the provincial government, which will then present it before the provincial assembly for review and discussion.

This move is not without precedent in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. In 2024-25, the provincial government had already amended the Universities Act, transferring the Chancellor's powers over public sector universities from the Governor to the Chief Minister.

That change was formally notified earlier, giving the Chief Minister direct influence over key decisions in higher education institutions, including appointments of vice-chancellors and oversight of academic affairs.