Massive Bureaucracy Reshuffle in KP as Governor’s Rule Takes Hold
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bureaucracy has been overhauled in one of the largest administrative shake-ups in the province’s recent history, with the federal government replacing the chief secretary, removing 57 officials of the Advocate General’s office and transferring most administrative secretaries, divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners after the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule.
A notification from the Human Resource Management Department (HRMD) set out new postings across key departments, while the province’s Law Department separately issued a notification de-notifying 61 law officers in a single move that deepens the security and administrative overhaul already underway in the province since governor’s rule was imposed.
Chief secretary replaced, most secretaries moved
The federal government removed KP Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah and appointed Grade-22 officer Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan as his successor. The HRMD notification also transferred a long list of administrative secretaries: Amjad Ali Khan was posted as home and tribal affairs secretary, Muhammad Ayaz as finance secretary, Matiullah Khan as health secretary, and Shahid Sohail Khan as law and parliamentary affairs secretary.
Inayatullah Wasim, chairman of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Abbottabad, was posted as elementary and secondary education secretary, while Muhammad Zubair moved from transport and mass transit to energy and power. Abidullah, chairman of the KP Textbook Board, was posted as higher education secretary. Hamidullah Shah was posted to the excise and taxation department, and Amir Afaq was appointed agriculture secretary.
Several senior officers were relieved of their departments and directed to report to HRMD, including the secretaries of mines and minerals, communication and works, religious affairs, irrigation, housing, higher education, relief and rehabilitation, and population.
Divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners changed
The reshuffle extended down the administrative ladder. Bannu Commissioner Khalid Mahmood was posted as Peshawar commissioner, while Muhammad Ali Shah was posted as Mardan commissioner. Naeemullah, the PDMA director, was transferred and posted as Bannu commissioner, and Perwaiz, the special secretary of the agriculture department, was posted as Kohat commissioner.
Shahrukh Ali was posted as Hazara commissioner, and Iqbal Hussain, a joint secretary from the federal government, was posted as Malakand commissioner. The outgoing commissioners of Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Malakand and Hazara were directed to report to HRMD. Most deputy commissioners across the province were also transferred.
57 officials of the Advocate General’s office removed
Additional Advocate General Shah Faisal Ilyas had earlier resigned in protest against the governor’s rule decision. The Law Department’s notification removed 26 additional advocates general, four advocates on record and 31 assistant advocates general, effectively replacing the province’s entire senior legal team.
A 57-strong legal purge marks the sharpest edge of the overhaul, and it immediately drew criticism from the opposition, which has branded the wider restructuring as an unconstitutional concentration of federal power in the province.
Army deployment and advisory council complete the new order
The federal government has also authorised the deployment of Pakistan Army troops under Article 245 of the Constitution to assist the civil administration and help protect citizens, public property and government installations. An 11-member advisory council has been established to assist Governor Faisal Karim Kundi under the new administrative arrangement. A separate secretariat has been set up to oversee administrative affairs in 12 security-sensitive districts, with Muhammad Yahya Akhunzada appointed additional chief secretary for those districts and designated their administrator.
The government has also clarified that the emergency applies to all of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, not just those 12 districts, with the 12-district secretariat serving as an additional administrative layer rather than the boundary of the emergency.
Why the reshuffle matters
Administrative overhauls of this scale are how the new order stamps its authority. The Senate and the National Assembly have both endorsed the emergency, and the PTI has challenged the proclamations in the Peshawar High Court. While the legal battle plays out, the province’s day-to-day administration is being rebuilt around federal control. Critics see the speed and scale of the changes as evidence that the emergency is as much about political control as counterterrorism.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the new KP chief secretary?
Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan, a Grade-22 officer, has been appointed KP chief secretary, replacing Shahab Ali Shah.
How many law officers were removed?
Fifty-seven officials of the Advocate General’s office: 26 additional advocates general, four advocates on record and 31 assistant advocates general. Additional Advocate General Shah Faisal Ilyas had resigned earlier in protest.
What is the 11-member advisory council?
A council established to assist Governor Faisal Karim Kundi in running the province’s affairs under governor’s rule.
What are the 12 security-sensitive districts?
A separate secretariat oversees administrative affairs in 12 security-sensitive districts, with Muhammad Yahya Akhunzada appointed additional chief secretary and administrator for those districts. The emergency itself applies to the whole province.
Tags: KP bureaucracy reshuffle, governor’s rule, chief secretary, advocate general, Article 245, advisory council, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
