Peshawar, October 20, 2025: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi has criticised the bulletproof vehicles recently provided to the provincial police by the federal Interior Ministry, calling them old, substandard, and unfit for use.
“These vehicles are an insult to the KP police and must be returned immediately,” the chief minister said during his first official meeting since assuming office.
Afridi also directed authorities to return security vehicles allocated to former chief ministers, saying the provincial government would ensure appropriate and need-based protection for all.
The meeting reviewed the government’s Good Governance Plan, which focuses on public service delivery, law and order, and economic reforms.
Afridi lauded the bureaucracy and police for safeguarding the people’s mandate during attempts to disrupt peace on February 8, but expressed disappointment at certain officials who “succumbed to pressure and failed to protect the mandate.”
He announced rewards for officers who upheld public interest during the elections, while warning that strict action would be taken against those who did not. The Chief Secretary has been directed to identify such individuals and submit a report.
Afridi also revealed that cabinet members will donate 15 days’ salary to flood victims, reiterating his government’s zero tolerance for corruption.
“Anyone unable to serve the people honestly should step aside. We will work in a new way — the people must feel that voting for PTI has brought real change,” he said.
The chief minister announced several new projects for the merged districts, including the establishment of a Tribal Medical College, a Tribal University of Modern Sciences, and playgrounds at the tehsil level. He also unveiled plans for a Safe City project and a revival initiative for urban development.
Afridi instructed the administration to abolish the quota system in examinations and eliminate the culture of recommendations in appointments and transfers, stressing that transparency and merit must guide all government affairs.
Afridi said the police would not arrest any political figure on the orders of MPAs, underscoring citizens’ constitutional rights to free speech and constructive criticism.
He vowed to provide the police with modern equipment and adequate funding, blaming the federal government for the rise in terrorism due to financial constraints.
“No one will use the police for political revenge,” he declared. “No FIR should be registered against students or for personal enmity. KP police must not become like Punjab police. There will be no torture of prisoners, and the force must remain apolitical.”
The chief minister also announced plans to establish separate housing colonies for police personnel and media professionals to improve their living conditions.
