By: Ghulam Hussain Ghazi
During the 3 sacred days of Eid al-Azha, the way animal wastes and remains were collected and cleanliness maintained in nook and corner of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was so exemplary that the public has befittingly started calling it the “Cleanliness Eid.” Indeed, Eid al-Azha is not just a religious festival but a comprehensive test of communal spirit, sacrifice, physical, spiritual purification, hygiene and social awareness. While in some areas this occasion turns into a mirror reflecting administrative chaos and filthy surroundings, this year in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it emerged as a shining example of order, discipline and remarkable sanitation. The integrated and effective strategy adopted by the provincial government left all other provinces behind and truly made Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the standard-bearer of a “Clean Eid”.
On the special directives of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, the cleanliness operations were not only efficiently planned but also visibly executed at the grassroots level. Disposing of over 24,939 tons of animal waste promptly and scientifically at designated spots was not just a numerical achievement; it was a clear testament that the government didn’t merely issue orders but ensured they were executed with sincerity, integrity and unrelenting effort.
Having spent the first two days of Eid in Peshawar and my native district Lower Dir, and later traveling across Malakand Division before heading to Lahore and Karachi on the third and fourth days, I witnessed firsthand the stark contrast. In other provinces, reeking piles of waste still greeted citizens in streets and alleys, with social media and newspapers flooded with complaints and images that mocked the authorities. In another contrast, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had completed the cleanup within the first two days. Every locality was sprayed with disinfectants, lime powder was applied, and fragrant water was used to freshen the environment. This is the difference that speaks not just through numbers but through real outcomes, and it is precisely this observation that sets Khyber Pakhtunkhwa apart from the rest.
In Peshawar alone, over 9,500 tons of wastes were removed. District, tehsil, and municipal staff worked tirelessly day and night to deliver an unmatched level of cleanliness. Minister for Local Government Arshad Ayub and Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah personally took to the field, supervised cleanup efforts at every site, and ensured that all directives were swiftly implemented. This is more than mere formality, it is a vibrant reflection of a responsive leadership that makes people feel genuinely cared for.
Following the same spirit, ministers in other districts also took active part in the Eid sanitation campaigns, translating the Chief Minister’s vision into action at the local level. In Swat, Minister for Livestock Fazal Hakim Yousafzai led from the front; in Lower Dir, Advisor for Prisons Humayun Khan took charge; in Malakand, Environment Minister Pir Musawir Shah was on the ground; in Mardan, it was Food Minister Zahir Shah Toru; in Mansehra, Tourism Advisor Zahid Chanzeb and in Lakki Marwat, Agriculture Minister Sajjad Barakwal. They not only appreciated the municipal staff but also mobilized their respective departments. From Chitral to Dera Ismail Khan and in the merged districts, commissioners and deputy commissioners were tasked with supervising operations.
As the saying goes, “The lamp must burn before it shines.” Despite limited financial resources, shortage of personnel and localized challenges in some areas, the KP government shouldered its cleanliness responsibility with such diligence that it not only set a high benchmark but also offered a practical lesson for other provinces. In regions where cleanliness was considered the sole domain of private or non-governmental organizations, KP’s government mobilized state machinery to prove that where intentions are pure, execution becomes transparent.
Regarding public complaints on sanitation, the performance was equally commendable. Only 1,289 complaints surfaced across the province, of which all but one were promptly resolved. In stark contrast to the citizens of other provinces who took to social media to lament the dismal state of cleanliness, people in KP expressed satisfaction and admiration, offering public affirmation that both government and citizens had fulfilled their duties responsibly.
As rightly put by Information Advisor Barrister Dr. Muhammad Ali Saif, this was not just about sanitation, it was a manifestation of good governance. The KP government transformed Eid al-Azha into a celebration of administrative success, not with noise or boastful claims, but through quiet, effective execution.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that when the rest of the country was grappling with sanitation crises during Eid, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa silently established a new standard, not as a one-time effort but as a luminous step towards a better future. Instead of “darkness beneath the lamp,” this time the lamp’s glow spread from the provincial capital to every corner of the province, leaving every street and bazaar clean, fragrant and shining.
This is the very model of governance that the entire nation yearns for. On Eid, the government and people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa not only offered animal sacrifices but also demonstrated true devotion to hygiene, transparency, and public service, turning this Eid into a memorable event. A memory that now stands as a beacon of excellent cleanliness management, and one that may well become the benchmark for times to come.
