KP govt decides to quash 'politically motivated' May 9 vandalism cases

• KP refers Radio Pakistan attack probe to special committee.
• Provincial cabinet approves Rs150 million grant for CTD.
• CM Afridi says Imran, wife kept in solitary confinement.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) cabinet on Friday decided to withdraw what it described as “politically motivated cases” registered on May 9 and 10, 2023, stating that the cases lacked "credible evidence." 

The provincial government also announced that the inquiry into the Radio Pakistan Peshawar incident would be referred to a Special Committee of the Provincial Assembly for further examination, The News reported on Saturday.

The decisions were made during the 41st meeting of the Provincial Cabinet, which was addressed by KP Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi via video link. The meeting was attended by cabinet members, the chief secretary, additional chief secretaries, administrative secretaries concerned and the advocate general.

The May 9 riots broke out across the country following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and then premier Imran Khan in a corruption case in 2023. The violence included attacks on military and state installations, with the Jinnah House (the Lahore Corps Commander's House) incident becoming one of the most high-profile cases.

The unrest caused much legal and political woes for the former ruling party, whose senior leaders, including founder Imran, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Yasmin Rashid and others, still remain behind bars over their alleged involvement in May 9 riots.

Condemning the recent press conference by federal ministers, the KP chief minister termed it inhuman, immoral, and unconstitutional, stating that such behaviour was tantamount to deliberately provoking the public and destabilising the situation.

He said that PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife were being subjected to solitary confinement, which the provincial government condemned. The chief minister reiterated that Imran Khan was a leader of the entire nation, while his wife was a non-political and modest woman, and any mistreatment is unacceptable.

He issued firm policy guidelines aimed at strengthening good governance, transparency, and the use of modern technology in official affairs.

The chief minister stated that the provincial government had already provided a clear roadmap for good governance and was actively promoting transparency and digitalisation across all departments.

Directing officials to prioritise online participation in official meetings, he emphasised that this approach will not only save valuable time but also result in a significant reduction in government expenditures.

To ensure institutional transparency and merit, the chief minister announced that all recruitment in provincial government departments, autonomous, and semi-autonomous bodies would be made strictly through the Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency (ETEA), and no recruitment would be carried out through any private testing agency.

Referring to the recent meeting of the National Finance Commission (NFC), the chief minister said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s case was presented vehemently and was supported by all participants. He pointed out that the continued denial of the due Rs 1,375 billion share of the merged districts in the NFC Award over the past years remained a grave injustice.

Expressing concern over the 55-day closure of the Torkham border, the chief minister said that truck drivers as well as men, women, children, and the elderly were severely affected.

He directed the district administration of Khyber to immediately ensure provision of food, shelter, and all essential facilities to the displaced people.

The chief minister directed that bulletproof vehicles be provided on a priority basis to civil officers, especially district administration, and instructed that all hurdles in the procurement process be removed without delay.

Briefing on the details of the important decisions taken in the cabinet meeting, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Information and Public Relations, Shafi Ullah Jan, said the cabinet took key decisions on the distribution formula for reserved seats for students of the merged districts in medical and dental colleges, the province’s new posting and transfer policy, the committee report on Action in Aid of Civil Powers law, matters related to wheat stock and procurement, the “politically motivated” cases of May 9 and 10, the formation of the KP Sugarcane and Sugar Beet Board, additional funding for development schemes, and other public welfare initiatives.

He stated after the division of South Waziristan into two districts, the matter of redistribution of reserved seats for students of these has been referred to a Cabinet Committee for consultation. The committee will present its recommendations in the next cabinet meeting.

Similarly, the new Posting and Transfer Policy had been referred to a Cabinet Committee as well for further review. Shafi Ullah Jan said the cabinet approved the nomination of mill representatives for the KP Sugarcane and Sugar Beet Control Board for 2025–26.

The CM’s aide stated that a special grant of Rs 150 million was approved for the Counter-Terrorism Department. It endorsed the implementation of the recommendations of the committee tasked with proposing measures after the repeal of the Action in Aid of Civil Powers law.