Peshawar – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information & Public Relations, Shafi Jan on Monday visited Haripur and Abbottabad as part of the provincial government’s outreach campaign aimed at engaging directly with the public and addressing local issues on the directives of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
During the Haripur visit, KP Minister for Education Arshad Ayub Khan, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Tourism and Culture Malik Adeel Iqbal, and MPA Akbar Ayub Khan accompanied Shafi Jan.
At Abbottabad Press Club, MNA Ali Khan Jadoon, MPA Rajab Ali Abbasi, the Deputy Commissioner, the District Police Officer, senior journalists, office-bearers of the Press Club, and members of civil society attended the event.
Addressing journalists, Shafi Jan said the remarkable performance of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was the result of the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. He said that all cabinet members had been directed to visit every district to hear public grievances firsthand and ensure their timely resolution. He described the Chief Minister as an outstanding example of young leadership.
The minister said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was witnessing development at a pace unmatched by any other province. He noted that the current provincial budget allocated the highest-ever funding for the education sector and said the absence of public protests during the budget reflected the confidence of the people in the provincial government.
alling journalism a sacred profession, Shafi Jan paid tribute to the sacrifices made by journalists from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the war against terrorism. He maintained that journalists in the province enjoy greater freedom than in other parts of the country, while accusing the federal government of pursuing policies that restrict press freedom. He emphasized that strong press clubs are essential for strong journalism and supported expanding the membership of Haripur Press Club.
Highlighting the provincial government’s initiatives for journalists’ welfare, the minister announced that Rs1 billion had been allocated in the current budget for journalists’ welfare. He said the Journalists’ Endowment Fund had been increased from Rs200 million to Rs500 million. Journalists would receive support for medical treatment, marriage expenses, children’s education, and overseas professional training. Educational scholarships would be provided for journalists’ children, veteran journalists would receive pension support and financial assistance during illness, and interest-free loans of up to Rs5 million would also be made available.
He further announced that Rs500 million had been allocated for media colonies across the province, while Rs400 million had been earmarked for clearing outstanding media dues, all of which would be paid during the current fiscal year. The government would bear the expenses of the Haripur Media Colony, provide a grant of Rs10 million to Haripur Press Club, release the Abbottabad Media Colony grant in two instalments, and extend grants, solar systems, laptops, and other facilities to district press clubs throughout the province. He also said that only genuine and credible newspapers would remain on the government’s official media list.
Speaking on the political situation, Shafi Jan said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government believes in democratic traditions and would also issue NOCs for opposition public gatherings. He asserted that if free and transparent elections were held, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would emerge victorious in accordance with Form-45 results.
He announced that a major public gathering would be held in Peshawar on August 5, marking three years of Imran Khan’s imprisonment, and that a nationwide movement for his release would begin from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with rallies also planned in Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan.
Criticizing the federal government, the minister said it lacked an effective strategy to address the country’s economic crisis. He said that persistent inflation and repeated increases in petroleum prices had placed an unbearable burden on the public. According to him, petrol prices had increased by Rs30 per litre and diesel by Rs60 per litre over the past two weeks. He claimed that had PTI remained in power, petrol would have been available for less than Rs100 per litre, adding that Pakistan’s GDP still remained below the level achieved during the PTI government.
Shafi Jan demanded immediate release of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s outstanding Rs4,758 billion share under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award. He also called for the transfer of the former FATA financial share to the province and urged the federal government to publish complete NFC financial data for all provinces.
