PESHAWAR:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has ordered a review of the controversial amendments to the Powers, Privileges and Benefits of Members of the KP Assembly Act, 2026, following widespread criticism from the public and media, and directed that all controversial provisions be reviewed in consultation with parliamentary leaders.
Addressing a provincial cabinet meeting on Wednesday, CM Afridi said the Parliamentarians’ Privileges Bill, which was approved by the cabinet, was later amended after being sent to the provincial assembly. He noted that the amendments had been the subject of sustained criticism in the media over the past two or three days.
The chief minister said he met KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati and requested him to convene a meeting of all parliamentary leaders represented in the provincial assembly.
“The meeting is expected to thoroughly review all the provisions that have attracted objections from the people of KP and the journalist community and make necessary revisions,” he said.
Afridi expressed hope that the amendments introduced in the bill would be reconsidered and all future measures would be taken in accordance with public interest and public opinion.
Meanwhile, amid growing public debate over the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Members’ Powers, Privileges and Benefits Act, 2026, Treasury and opposition lawmakers defended the legislation, arguing that several misconceptions were being spread about the law.
Addressing a joint press conference at the provincial assembly alongside senior opposition lawmakers, provincial Minister of Information and Public Relations Shafi Jan said unnecessary confusion had been created over the legislation approved by the assembly.
He said claims circulating on social media and in some sections of the media about the law had “no basis” and that many of the issues discussed were not even part of the law.
According to the minister, this was not an entirely new law but merely 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 law.
Jan clarified that the draft approved by the cabinet did not contain any provision granting lifelong blue passports to members of the provincial assembly or passports to their family members.
He indicated that these amendments were presented to the Assembly after the tabling of the bill, adding that it was the opposition which proposed these changes.
PPP parliamentary leader Ahmad Karim Kundi defended the legislation, saying legislating was the constitutional prerogative of the provincial assembly.
He revealed that a proposal to grant the Speaker of the Assembly a red passport was also 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 this facility.
ANP Parliamentary Leader Arbab Usman said the province was facing multiple challenges and crises and elected representatives should be provided with better facilities to discharge their duties effectively.
PML-N MP Sobia Shahid said all provincial laws relating to legislators’ privileges were reviewed before drafting the law.
