K-P cabinet condemns unending drone strikes

Also debates gas crisis, NFC dues, power outages

PESHAWAR:

An emergency meeting of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provincial cabinet convened on Friday under Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has condemned ongoing drone strikes and what it termed the systematic denial of the province's constitutional rights, warning of a coordinated protest movement unless grievances over gas shortages and fiscal inequities are addressed within two days.

In his opening remarks, the Chief Minister said the meeting was specifically called to address the continued incidence of drone strikes, which he said are causing unacceptable civilian casualties. "Such actions, particularly those resulting in collateral damage, are profoundly harmful to the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa," Afridi stated.

The cabinet expressed grave concern over the persistent gas crisis, observing that despite producing approximately 400 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) of natural gas against a domestic requirement of only 150 MMCFD, the province faces severe load-shedding. The surplus of roughly 250 MMCFD is being supplied to the federation and other provinces while local consumers endure suspended supply, Afridi said.

The Chief Minister also pointed to discriminatory treatment in the distribution of National Finance Commission (NFC) awards, outstanding dues, wheat supply constraints, and ongoing electricity load-shedding as areas fuelling public discontent.

Afridi warned that if the gas supply issue is not resolved within two days, the provincial government will initiate a coordinated protest in consultation with all political parties. He announced that a grand jirga comprising tribal elders and representatives of all political parties has been convened at the Chief Minister's House to deliberate on the situation.

Separately, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Shafi Jan briefed the media on cabinet decisions, including approval of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Climate Action Board (Amendment) Bill 2026, a special grant of Rs112.5 million for a digital inclusion program for minority students, and enhancement of a minorities endowment fund from Rs200 million to Rs300 million. The cabinet also approved a compensation package of Rs2.5 million per deceased person and Rs1 million per injured individual for incidents in Mardan, Nowshera and Haripur districts.

Other approvals included Rs168.10 million for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Education Foundation, establishment of a Temperate Rice Research Station in Malakand Division, and procurement of 225,000 metric tons of wheat from public sector growers at Rs3,500 per 40 kilograms, involving a financial outlay of Rs19.68 billion. The cabinet also approved upgrading Miangul Abdul Haq Jahanzeb Kidney Hospital Swat into a specialized kidney transplant centre with an additional grant of Rs180 million.