Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet Approves Procurement of 50 New Buses for Peshawar BRT and Key Development Projects
PESHAWAR — The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) cabinet has approved the purchase of 50 additional diesel-hybrid buses for the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, at an estimated cost of Rs3.2 billion. This decision was made during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Friday.
TransPeshawar, the operator of the city’s mass transit system, initially acquired 220 buses, with 24 more added in 2022, bringing the total fleet to 244. The new purchase aims to meet rising public demand and accommodate the expansion of operational routes from six to eight, including the addition of DR-11, DR-13, and DR-14.
Key Approvals and Initiatives
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Merger of Zamung Kor Campuses: The cabinet approved the merger of campuses in Swat, Dera Ismail Khan, Abbottabad, and a girls’ campus in Peshawar with the autonomous Zamung Kor Model Institute for State Children, currently serving 600 children in Peshawar and 425 in the other campuses.
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Pension Reform and Asset Management: An agreement was sanctioned with Pak-Qatar Asset Management, the 13th asset management company to operate under the Contributory Provident Fund Rules, 2022. The provincial government has been transitioning from an unfunded pension system to a funded scheme since 2015, investing contributions through registered asset managers.
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Legal and Regulatory Updates: The cabinet approved amendments to the KP Right to Public Services Act, 2014, and KP Public Private Partnership Rules, improving bidder response times and streamlining procurement procedures.
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Public Land and NGO Regulations: A committee was formed to review the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Lands Utilisation and Management Bill, 2025. The KP NGO Rules, 2025, focusing on organizations working in human rights, were also approved.
Infrastructure and Social Sector Funding
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Health Sector Investments: The cabinet approved increases in funding for health infrastructure, including Rs924.6 million for a Category-C hospital in Balakot, and Rs1.7 billion for upgrading Rural Health Centers (RHCs) and Rs2.96 billion for Basic Health Units (BHUs), focusing on 24/7 service availability. Additionally, Rs346 million was allocated to the Peshawar Institute of Cardiology for advanced medical equipment.
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Electricity and Irrigation: Rs1.5 billion was approved for transformer repair and maintenance across districts, alongside a Rs1.04 billion grant to settle PESCO electricity dues. The irrigation department received Rs400 million for maintenance and repair projects during the current fiscal year.
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Environmental and Urban Development: The Makniyal area was incorporated into the Urban Area Development Authority of Haripur. A committee was established to address illegal tree cutting in the forests of Arandu Gol, Chitral, and Upper Kohistan.
Administrative Actions
The cabinet approved a non-ADP scheme worth Rs124 million to resume salary payments for contractual staff at the Provincial Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority. It also authorized termination notices for Perra contractual employees effective July 1, 2025, instructing the authority’s director general to resolve outstanding issues.
