PESHAWAR: The PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has accommodated most treasury members of the provincial assembly in its power structure by making them ministers, chief minister’s advisers and special assistants and parliamentary secretaries.

The information secured by Dawn from the provincial administration department under the KP Right to Information Act 2013 shows that 47 of the 77 treasury members in the 124-strong house currently serve as ministers, advisers and special assistants to the CM, and parliamentary secretaries and the number comes to 48 if Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, too, is considered.

Many left out have been made chairpersons of the district development advisory committees in the districts, where MPAs of PTI or its allies are in majority.

Forty-seven of 77 ruling coalition MPAs serve as ministers, CM advisers and parliamentary secys

Currently, the provincial cabinet comprises 14 members, while there are five advisers and eight special assistants to the chief minister. The parliamentary secretaries total 20.

Malik Qasim Khattak, Haji Abdul Haq, Shakeel Ahmed, Akbar Ayub and Mushtaq Ghani are serving as advisers, while Arif Yousaf, Ishtiaq Urmur, Abdul Munim, Mohibullah Khan, Malik Shah Mohammad Wazir, Dr. Amjad Ali, Arshad Ali and Abdul Karim are among special assistants to the CM.

Fazl Elahi, Khaliqur Rehman, Ubaidullah Mayar, Tufail Anjum, Mohammad Ali Tarakai, Saeed Gul, Nadia Sher Khan, Aisha Naeem, Zareen Riaz, Nagina Khan, Zahid Durrani, Khatoon Bibi, Bibi Fozia, Haider Ali Khan, Javed Nasim, Ehtesham Javed Akbar, Shaukat Yousafzai and Azizullah Khan are parliamentary secretaries.

Sources told Dawn Shaukat Yousafzai was made parliamentary secretary without portfolio earlier in January but the department kept his appointment under the wraps until recently when his name was made part of the parliamentary secretary list posted on the provincial assembly’s website.

Details of their salary and other perks show that the CM’s advisers and special assistants draw salary of Rs120,000 and also receive Rs1,000 transport allowance per day during tour.

However, some CM’s special assistants including Ishtiaq Urmur and Shah Mohammad Khan draw Rs50,000 salary.

The parliamentary secretaries draw Rs104,133 salary and Rs1,000 transport allowance during the assembly session and in-country TA of Rs120,000 annually.

The provincial government through a notification had entitled each parliamentary secretary to have an official car with 400 litres fuel per month, 50 per cent additional basic salary of an MPA (Rs18,000 a month), provision of offices and personal staff of the minister with whom he or she is attached.

All five advisers and eight special assistants are using 1800cc government vehicles provided by the administration department, while the details show that 18 parliamentary secretaries are availing themselves of 1300cc vehicles. Parliamentary secretary for anti-corruption Dr. Haider Ali Khan is using 1800cc car.

The department said 32 vehicles were being used by the CM’s advisers and special assistants, and parliamentary secretaries.

It also shared details of the office space provided to 13 advisers and special assistants to the CM, while it has provided official residence to five MPAs, including Ishtiaq Urmur, Shah Mohammad Khan, Abdul Munim, Mushtaq Ghani and Amjad Ali.

Interestingly, the figures of the cabinet members posted on the government and assembly websites are incomplete and incorrect as well.

The department said the provision of office accommodation to the CM’s advisers and special assistants was the responsibility of the relevant department.

The provincial government’s website incorrectly puts the number of ministers at 15 as under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, that number can’t be more than 14.

It also wrongly declares the CM has four advisers though five MPAs hold these offices.

The number of special assistants and parliamentary secretaries posted on the provincial assembly’s website is also incorrect. The website shows there are six special assistants through there’re eight according to the cabinet section of the administration department. Also, the website puts the number of parliamentary secretaries at 18 though the administration department suggests 20 MPAs hold these posts.

In addition, the ruling PTI and its allies have a lion’s share in the DDAC chairperson seats across the province.

The information available with Dawn shows that PTI and its lawmakers have DDAC chairpersons in at least 17 districts.

The DDAC chairpersons in Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Swabi, Mardan Swat, Buner, Shangla, Upper and Lower Dir, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Kohat, Karak, Haripur, Abbottabad and Torghar districts are lawmakers of either PTI or its allies.

Spokesman for the provincial government Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani was not available for comments.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2016