DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet on Wednesday approved a series of measures aimed at expanding youth financing, easing the burden of schoolchildren, improving healthcare facilities and strengthening public-private partnerships, besides approving compensation for victims of militant attacks.
The decisions were taken at the 56th meeting of the provincial cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Information and Public Relations Minister Shafi Jan said the cabinet had increased the allocation for the Ehsaas Naujawan Programme from Rs3 billion to Rs5bn in view of what he described as rising public demand and applications.
The programme, he said, was intended to promote youth entrepreneurship, self-employment, financial inclusion and sustainable livelihood opportunities across the province.
The cabinet also approved the introduction of a semester-wise “jacketed” textbook system for students from kindergarten to Grade V from the 2027-28 academic year. Under the scheme, two or more core-subject books will be bound in a single cover to reduce schoolbag weight without changing the approved curriculum.
The system will initially cover public schools in both summer and winter zones, while the same arrangement will subsequently be extended to Grades VI to VIII. The cabinet also approved provision of free textbooks to all students from Grades IX to XII.
Mr Jan said the measures were aimed at making textbooks more affordable while reducing the physical burden on students in line with the province’s School Bag Weight Policy.
The cabinet approved Rs188.756 million in one-time grants for model schools in the merged districts, including institutions in Mohmand, South Waziristan, Kurram and North Waziristan. A further Rs60m grant was approved for Langland School and College in Chitral.
An inter-departmental memorandum of understanding to help reduce the number of out-of-school children in the province was also approved.
In the health sector, the cabinet sanctioned Rs66.56m for the treatment of 21 deserving patients. The chief minister directed the Health Department to ensure that the funds were released to the affected families without delay.
The cabinet also approved the creation of 114 house-job positions, a 15 per cent increase in stipends for house officers and trainee medical officers, and a five per cent annual increment thereafter. Mr Afridi directed the Health Department to submit proposals for creating more positions to provide greater opportunities to medical graduates and meet staffing requirements in teaching hospitals.
The cabinet approved the appointment of a chief executive officer for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transmission and Grid System Company and sanctioned social compensation for land disturbance related to right-of-way issues on the 132/220kV Double Circuit Gorkin-Matiltan Transmission Line.
It also approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Private Partnership Authority Bill, 2026, for onward legislative processing. The proposed authority would be headed by a professional chief executive and have a two-tier approval system, a dedicated project appraisal wing and mechanisms for engaging private-sector investors.
On compensation for victims of militancy, the cabinet approved enhanced payments for civilian victims of targeted militant attacks in Bajaur. Under the special package, legal heirs of those killed will receive Rs10m, while victims suffering major or minor injuries will receive Rs2.5m.
It also approved a general increase in the standard compensation package, raising the amount for legal heirs of deceased victims from Rs1m to Rs5m and compensation for victims of major injuries to Rs1.5m.
The cabinet further approved the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Teachers (Appointment and Regularization of Services) Bill, 2026, aimed at regularising the services of remaining teachers appointed on an ad-hoc basis in the Elementary and Secondary Education Department.
It also approved amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Office of the Provincial Ombudsman Employees (Terms and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2025, and two draft notifications providing sales tax exemptions for local service providers and exemption from withholding sales tax obligations for industrial undertakings operating in the erstwhile Fata/Pata areas.
Speaking at the meeting, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi praised cabinet members, advisers and special assistants for maintaining contact with citizens through field visits. He directed them to follow up on problems identified during such visits rather than treating them as one-off engagements.
The chief minister also praised the Finance Department, saying the province had collected Rs150bn against a revenue target of Rs129bn. He said the government had set a revenue target of Rs180bn for the current financial year and expressed confidence that it would be achieved.
He urged cabinet members to focus on improving institutional performance, service delivery and accountability, saying criticism should not distract public officeholders from their responsibilities.
The chief minister also spoke at length about concerns surrounding the health of former prime minister Imran Khan. He called for transparent and credible information about his condition and urged the federal authorities to facilitate access to Mr Khan for his personal physicians, family members and legal representatives.
Mr Afridi said the reported restrictions on such access had contributed to public concern and called for an independent medical assessment to establish the former premier’s health condition.
