Khyber Pakhtunkhwa govt withdraws controversial law expanding lawmakers' privileges after backlash

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to retract controversial provisions from a recently enacted law that significantly expanded the privileges and powers of lawmakers. This decision follows widespread public and media backlash against the legislation.

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On the directives of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the provincial government has decided to withdraw all controversial provisions incorporated into the KP Provincial Assembly (Powers, Immunities and Privileges) Act, 2026.

The KP Provincial Assembly (Powers, Immunities and Privileges) Act, 2026, passed in April, had granted members of the provincial assembly and their spouses blue passports, arms licenses, and blanket immunity from preventive detention. It also stipulated that a speaker's permission was necessary before arresting members on criminal charges. The law drew sharp criticism, prompting KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to order a review.

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All controversial clauses will be restored and corrected in accordance with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Powers, Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1988.

KP Information Minister Shafi Jan announced that, on the chief minister's directives and in consultation with the assembly speaker, all controversial clauses would be withdrawn. These provisions will be restored and corrected in line with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Powers, Privileges and Immunities) Act of 1988, which the new law had repealed. Jan assured that the government would listen to and address the concerns of the journalist community and the general public, emphasizing that decisions would align with public aspirations.

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The provincial government will listen to and address the concerns of both the journalist community and the general public.

Meanwhile, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi urged for a harmonized national bill governing legislators' benefits across Pakistan. He advocated for uniform salaries, security, official passports, and allowances to ensure fairness and accountability. Kundi noted that no province should legislate extraordinary privileges for itself while expecting citizens to embrace austerity. He stressed that a unified national framework is essential for public confidence.

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No province should legislate extraordinary privileges for itself while expecting the people to embrace austerity. Salaries, security, official passports, allowances and every other entitlement should be uniform across the federation, ensuring one standard for all.