PESHAWAR:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has ordered a review of the controversial amendments to the KP Assembly Members Powers, Privileges and Benefits Act, 2026, following widespread criticism from the public and media, and directed that all controversial provisions be reconsidered in consultation with parliamentary leaders.
At a provincial cabinet meeting on Wednesday, CM Afridi said that the parliamentary privileges bill, which had been approved by the cabinet, was subsequently amended after being sent to the provincial assembly. He noted that the amendments have been the subject of constant criticism in the media over the past two or three days.
The chief minister said he had met KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and directed him to call a meeting of all parliamentary leaders represented in the provincial assembly.
“The meeting should thoroughly review all the provisions that have raised objections from the KP people and the journalistic community and make necessary revisions,” he said.
Afridi expressed hope that the amendments introduced to the bill will be reconsidered and that all future steps will be taken in accordance with public interest and public opinion.
Meanwhile, amid growing public debate over the Powers, Privileges and Benefits of Members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Bill, 2026, both Treasury and Opposition lawmakers defended the legislation, arguing that several misconceptions regarding the law were being spread.
In a joint press conference at the provincial assembly along with senior opposition lawmakers, provincial Minister of Information and Public Relations Shafi Khan said unnecessary confusion had been created over the legislation passed by the assembly.
He said claims circulating on social media and in sections of the media about the law were “baseless” and that many of the issues being discussed were not even part of the law.
According to the Minister, the legislation was not an entirely new law, but simply amendments to the existing 1988 law. He maintained that the provincial cabinet had not approved any new provisions that did not already exist in the 1988 legislation.
Jan clarified that the project approved by the cabinet did not contain any provision granting lifetime blue passports to members of the provincial assembly or passports to their family members.
He said those amendments were introduced in the assembly after the bill was introduced, adding that the opposition had proposed the changes.
PPP parliamentary leader Ahmad Karim Kundi defended the legislation and said legislating was the constitutional prerogative of the provincial assembly.
He revealed that a proposal to grant the assembly speaker a red passport had also been discussed, arguing that since a governor could possess a red passport and a president could eventually become a governor, the president should also be entitled to that facility.
ANP parliamentary leader Arbab Usman said the province is facing multiple challenges and crises and elected representatives should be provided with better facilities to perform their duties effectively.
PML-N MPA Sobia Shahid said all provincial laws related to legislators’ privileges had been scrutinized before the law was drafted.
