KP CM Gandapur approves separate secretariat for Hazara Division

PESHAWAR: Following the announcement of a separate secretariat for the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has, in principle, approved the establishment of a separate secretariat for the Hazara Division as well.

Sources told HUM News English that Gandapur approved the separate secretariat for the Hazara Division while chairing a meeting at KP House in Islamabad on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by PTI central leader Omar Ayub Khan, Provincial Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, Provincial Local Government Minister Arshad Ayub Khan, and other provincial cabinet members, MNAs and MPs from Hazara Division.

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During the meeting, in response to demands from MNAs, provincial ministers and MPs of the Hazara Division, Chief Minister Gandapur approved the creation of a separate secretariat for the eight districts of the Hazara Division. According to the sources, the formal announcement in this regard will be made by Gandapur at a public rally scheduled for July 5 in Mansehra.

The Hazara Division comprises eight districts including Abbottabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar and Kohistan. While local leaders had previously campaigned for a separate Hazara province, they have not been successful.

Provincial Local Government Minister Arshad Ayub Khan expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Gandapur for approval of establishing the separate secretariat for the Hazara Division.

“With the creation of a separate secretariat, the problems of the Hazara people will be addressed locally. This will enable timely implementation of government decisions and improve the performance of government departments,” he said.