Peshawar: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Thursday formally launched the province’s first-of-its-kind initiative to improve sanitation in rural areas, titled “Pak Saaf o Shafaf Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”. The flagship program, with an overall cost exceeding Rs. 11 billion, covers all 3,633 village councils (VCs) across the province. A total of 11,388 sanitation workers have been recruited—four per VC in the plains areas 2,061 VCs and two per VC in the hilly areas 1,572 VCs. The hiring process was conducted transparently through balloting, with 32,683 applications received and 29,822 candidates declared eligible. To support the effort, each VC has been provided with a loader rickshaw, uniforms, and sanitation kits. Additionally, new vehicles and machinery worth Rs. 3.6 billion have been procured for Tehsil Municipal Administrations (TMAs), including 392 tractors and 315 mini dumpers, to ensure proper waste disposal. Oversight committees have also been established at the VC level under the Local Government Act to sustain the initiative.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, the Chief Minister said the program was a “true public service project, above politics and political affiliations.” He emphasized that cleanliness is half of faith and lamented that rural areas had long been neglected in this regard. “This program reflects Imran Khan’s vision of equitable development for all regions,” he noted. Gandapur added that transparency was ensured at every stage, with no political influence in the recruitment process. “As Chief Minister, I did not interfere in a single hiring, and I am proud of that,” he said. The CM underlined that machinery for TMAs was also distributed strictly on merit and data, ensuring fairness across all councils and administrations. “This project belongs to all of us, and together we must make it a success,” he said, adding that a sustainable financial model had been devised for its continuation. Referring to local government reforms, Gandapur recalled that Imran Khan envisioned a strong local bodies system and had enacted relevant legislation, but subsequent amendments weakened its spirit. “Our government is working to restore powers to local representatives in line with Imran Khan’s vision,” he said. “Unless the state comes first and politics takes a back seat, real change will not be possible.” Reviewing his government’s performance, Gandapur said when his administration assumed office, the provincial treasury could only sustain 18 days of salaries, and development projects carried a 13-year “throw-forward” backlog “Even if we had laid not a single brick, it would have taken 13 years to complete those projects,” he remarked. However, 511 projects were completed last year, and the target for this year is 1,000 projects. He also pointed out that poor planning in the past had caused Rs. 450 billion in cost overruns, but the current government reduced the backlog and stabilized the provincial economy. Highlighting fiscal discipline, the CM said KP was the only province in Pakistan to establish a debt retirement fund. Created with Rs. 30 billion, the fund now holds Rs. 190 billion. “No indebted nation can be truly independent or self-respecting. Today, KP is proudly on the path of progress,” he declared.
Provincial Minister for Local Government Arshad Ayub and senior officials of the department also addressed the event, shedding light on different aspects of the program. The ceremony was attended by provincial cabinet members, MNAs, MPAs, elected local representatives, senior government officials, and a large number of media personnel.
