The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday withdrew several controversial provisions from the recently enacted KP Provincial Assembly (Powers, Immunities and Privileges) Act, 2026, after public outrage over privileges such as the issuance of official passports to lawmakers and their spouses for life.
The contentious legislation was passed in April and, apart from the official passports, had also granted free arms licenses, blanket immunity from preventive detention, and made it mandatory for officials to seek the speaker’s permission before arresting any members on criminal charges.
After mounting public outrage, however, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had directed a review of the legislation, with provincial Information Minister Shafi Jan announcing the controversial clauses would be withdrawn and the law restored in accordance with the 1988 Act.
On Friday, treasury lawmaker Ghazi Ikram submitted amendments, with the house passing the KP Provincial Assembly (Powers, Immunities and Privileges) Amendment Act, 2026. Under the amended law, official passports would only remain valid for the parliamentary tenure of lawmakers, in accordance with federal law. The number of lifetime non-prohibited bore arms licenses has been reduced to four, while enhanced fines and punishments for journalists have been reduced.
Annexation
Also on Friday, the house unanimously passed a resolution over the potential alteration of KP’s territorial jurisdiction through the annexation of some areas to the center. The resolution stated that Haripur, Abbottabad and all other districts were integral parts of KP and could not be annexed to any other part of the country, adding any changes would be against the law.
The resolution stated that the residents of the province had constitutional rights over KP’s minerals, forests, hydel projects and other natural resources, and that any direct or indirect attempt to take control of these resources was unacceptable.
It further said that any changes to the province’s geographical boundaries for personal interests or political objectives would violate the Constitution and could harm the federation. Strongly condemning any such plan, it demanded the federal government reject such suggestions and respect KP’s geographical, constitutional and administrative status.
The resolution said the provincial assembly, the elected government and the people of KP would take all democratic and peaceful steps to safeguard the province’s geographical sovereignty, constitutional rights, provincial autonomy and natural resources, and would never hesitate to make any sacrifice.
“This house warns the federal government to refrain from making any geographical changes, as such a step will never be acceptable to the people of KP and could harm inter-provincial harmony and national unity,” it said, calling on the federal government to publicly reject any such proposal.