KP Assembly adopts bill to regularise 38,000 teachers

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted the Teachers’ Appointment and Regularisation of Services Bill, 2022, which will benefit about 38,000 teachers in the province.

The bill provides for the regularisation of the services of about 38,000 teachers recruited from time to time till June 30, 2022, along with pension and other fringe benefits. The provincial government policy of doing away with pensions for government employees will not be applicable to these teachers.

After the passage of the Bill, the services of all the teachers recruited till June last would be regularized and they would be entitled to pension and other benefits on retirement.

Congratulating the teachers, Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Shahram Tarakai expressed the hope they would utilise their capabilities for betterment in the education system and help prepare the new generation to shoulder the responsibility of nation-building.

Another bill banning fishing without a permit and through electric current or use of chemicals was also adopted unanimously. According to the bill, the government may notify any pound or nullah as the government-protected area where fish hunting would be banned from 1st June to 31 August.

A fine of up to Rs500,000 can be imposed on those fishing illegally through net or blast while a fine of Rs50,000 on hunting by diverting watercourse and an Rs10,000 fine for hunting small fish was also suggested in the bill.

The House unanimously passed four resolutions demanding the release of arrears to the province. Through a joint resolution moved by Minister for Labour and Culture Shaukat Yousafzai, it was demanded that the federal government should release Rs40 billion on account of the petroleum levy.

He said on August 30, 2012, the federal government approved a policy under which provinces producing oil would get its share but KP was yet to be released Rs40 billion. Another resolution said under Article 161 (1 B) the federal government was bound to collect federal excise duty and pay the amount to the province, but even after a lapse of 10 years of the 18th Amendment, it was not implemented, which was an injustice to the province.

Through another resolution moved by Sardar Hussain Babak of the Awami National Party (ANP), it was demanded that under Article 158 of the constitution a province producing natural gas should be given the commodity on a priority basis.

He said KP was producing the cheapest gas at the rate of $4 per MBTU while the price of imported gas was $25 per MBTU. He said the government charged the consumers at the rate of merging the local and imported gas price, which was an injustice to the people of KP that’s why this House recommend to the provincial government to ask the federal government that KP be provided gas on priority bases and at the rate of $4 per MBTU.

Another resolution moved by Inayatullah Khan of the Jamaat-Islami (JI) and adopted unanimously said the federal government owed Rs10.187 billion on account of the hydel power generated by Malakand III, Pehur, Daral Khwar and Machai hydel stations and the provincial assembly standing committee had also recommended to the federal government to pay the arrears.

This House asks the provincial government to recommend to the centre to pay the pending amount, the resolution said. Later, the opposition members demanded an in-camera briefing on the worsening law and order in the province.

Initiating the debate on an adjournment motion, Inayatullah Khan said during the current year 434 terrorist attacks were reported wherein 323 jawans lost their lives. He said 254 target killings were reported in ex-Fata and a Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) was attacked which showed an increase in terror attacks.

The lawmaker said cases were registered against the people in Bajaur, Swat, Dir, Khyber and Waziristan for holding peaceful marches for the restoration of peace in the region. Sardar Babak said extortion calls were common and the ruling party members were paying extortion.

He said wealthy people were forced to move out of the province and the government had downed the morale of the police force and the public by giving entry to terrorists.

Sahibzada Sanaullah and Badshah Saleh of PPP, Independent member from North Waziristan Mir Kalam Wazir and PTI’s Shafiq Afridi also spoke during the session.

They complained of increase in terrorist activities in the province. They said the Pakhtun belt was being targeted through a conspiracy. They said the people of KP should not be compelled to move out of the province and the issue of law and order be controlled on a priority basis. The debate continued when the chair adjourned the session till today (Tuesday) at 2 pm.