PESHAWAR – In another shocking political development, three provincial ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) including Muhammad Atif Khan, Shahram Khan Tarakzai and Shakeel Ahmad have been removed from the provincial cabinet.

A notification issued by K-P Chief Secretary Taj Muhammad reads that the governor exercised his powers under Article 132 read with clause 1 of Article 105 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

“On their de-notification from their respective offices, they have ceased to hold portfolios of provincial ministers with immediate effect.”

Atif held the portfolio of the senior minister for sports, culture and tourism whereas Tarakzai was the health minister and Shakeel held the revenue and estate portfolio.

KP Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai, while referring to the issue in his talk to the media, revealed that the leaders had opposed the policies set by the government and were involved in the grouping for a long time, including an attempt to form a group within the provincial cabinet.

“There was no support from these ministers in the merger of erstwhile FATA with KP […] merging FATA with the province was a great achievement of Chief Minister Mehmood Khan,” he said, adding that in the former provincial government, these ministers did not maintain good relations with former KP CM Pervez Khattak.

“Prime Minister had also taken notice of the matter and expressed resentment and so bold decisions were needed to be taken […] these ministers gave an impression that CM Mehmood Khan was not deserving of his post and don’t work properly,” Mr Yousafzai maintained.