Staff Reporter
Peshawar:
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Shafi Jan has said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is playing a frontline role in the fight against terrorism, while the provincial government is implementing exemplary austerity measures amid challenging global economic conditions and an ongoing energy crisis.
Addressing a press conference alongside Provincial Finance Advisor Muzammil Aslam, he said the provincial government had taken concrete steps to reduce expenditures and provide relief to the public.
He stated that Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi had approved a Rs13 billion Ramazan relief package for low-income families, which was implemented in a transparent manner. “The entire amount has been delivered to deserving beneficiaries, benefiting more than one million people,” he added.
Shafi Jan alleged that the opposition was politicizing public welfare initiatives and challenged critics to present evidence of any irregularities in the Ramazan package. He said the government remained ready to respond to all allegations, emphasizing that transparency and good governance were its top priorities.
He further said relief initiatives, including the “Ehsaas Dastarkhwan” programme, had provided support to poor families, needy individuals, and travelers. Criticizing the Punjab government, he claimed its Ramazan Dastarkhwan programme, launched for publicity purposes, was discontinued during the last ten days of the holy month.
Speaking about the energy crisis, he described it as a global challenge but criticized the federal government for increasing petroleum prices by 20 percent, saying the move had added to public hardship.
He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, following the vision of former prime minister Imran Khan, had announced financial assistance of Rs2,200 for 1.6 million registered motorcycle owners. He added that steps were also being taken to support farmers during the wheat threshing season, with data collection currently underway.
Shafi Jan said that despite rising fuel prices, the provincial government had not increased Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) fares to avoid burdening commuters. He added that additional buses, including pink buses for women, were being added to the fleet. In contrast, he alleged that the Punjab government had increased metro fares.
He also criticized what he termed a lack of austerity measures in Punjab, alleging that an aircraft worth Rs11 billion had been purchased while public funds were being used for official travel.
Highlighting security efforts, Shafi Jan said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was ahead of other provinces in governance and was acting as a “shield” for the country in the fight against terrorism. He added that the provincial government had allocated Rs31 billion to strengthen the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Special Branch to further improve law and order across the province.
