The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) cabinet convened on Friday under the leadership of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and approved the establishment of a state-of-the-art university in the province’s merged districts. This decision marks a significant step toward enhancing higher education infrastructure in the region.
During the session, several important resolutions were passed affecting education, religious affairs, health, livestock, and administrative policies. To improve the efficiency of government colleges, the PTI-led administration resolved to create essential support staff positions while eliminating redundant roles. New guidelines were also sanctioned to regulate the posting and transfer of college faculty members throughout KP.
In a notable development, amendments to laws governing Auqaf and religious affairs were approved, aiming to strengthen regulatory frameworks in these sectors. Meanwhile, addressing the economic challenges posed by regional instability, the cabinet decided to reduce fuel expenditures for a two-month period in response to the ongoing fuel crisis triggered by the conflict involving Iran.
Another key initiative approved was a 26-month paid internship program for nursing graduates in teaching hospitals. This program is designed to mitigate the shortage of skilled nursing personnel in government healthcare facilities, thereby improving service delivery.
For the livestock sector, the cabinet endorsed a framework to facilitate the procurement of vital medicines and vaccines, ensuring better health management for animals.
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi emphasized the necessity of a consistent and sustainable policy approach rather than short-term fixes. He criticized the “imposed rulers” for burdening the public with ineffective policies and highlighted the economic challenges facing the province, including a widening trade deficit caused by rising imports and falling exports.
Afridi warned that the increasing dollar rate would fuel inflation, while higher fuel prices would escalate electricity costs and unemployment. He called on the federal government to promptly present a clear and comprehensive economic policy. Meanwhile, the provincial government is preparing its own crisis management plan and plans to introduce additional relief measures soon to alleviate the inflationary pressures on citizens. Afridi assured that the KP government is committed to protecting the public from the rising cost of living.
