KP chief minister’s preferred pick for chief secretary hits roadblock

PESHAWAR: Efforts by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to appoint his favoured bureaucrat as chief secretary have hit a roadblock, paving the way for Shakeel Qadir Khan to potentially assume the role of chief secretary in the province.

Presently holding the position of Balochistan Chief Secretary, Shakeel Qadir Khan has emerged as a frontrunner for the top slot amidst political wrangling, sources said.

According to the sources, the KP chief minister’s initial nominee, Shahab Ali Shah, has failed to secure approval from the federal government.

In light of this, on the prime minister’s instructions, a second summary was sent with three names — Shahab Ali Shah, Dr Shahzad Bangash and Munir Azam. However, the federal government did not select any of the proposed bureaucrats.

Sources said that there had been an agreement between the prime minister and the KP chief minister on Shakeel Qadir as an alternative. Nevertheless, his appointment to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is contingent upon the consent of the chief minister, the sources said.