3 aides to KP chief minister resign from posts

PESHAWAR, APR 18: Two advisors and a special assistant to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan resigned from their posts on Saturday.

According to a notification issued by the provincial government, KP Governor Shah Farman has accepted the resignations of Adviser to the CM on Energy and Power Himayatullah Khan, Adviser to the CM on Information and Technology Ziaullah Bangash and Special Assistant to the CM on Excise and Taxation Ghazan Jamal.

"They have ceased to hold the portfolios of advisers/special assistants to the KP chief minister with immediate effect," the notification stated.

In a handwritten resignation letter addressed to the provincial chief minister, Bangash — a longtime PTI activist — said that he was stepping down from the post due to "some unavoidable situation" and some "other constituency problems".

"I have a lot of responsibilities in the constituency and I want to focus on [them]," he said.

Jamal, on the other hand, said: "Over the past one year, I have endeavoured to reform and improve the department and worked diligently to realise the goals set by your leadership.

"Due to circumstance beyond my control, I am unable to continue as a special assistant. I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity and, in my capacity as MPA Orakzai, I will continue to work on behalf of the people of my district," he said.

The spokesperson for the provincial government, Kamran Khan Bangash, did not respond to Dawn.com's request for a comment.

The development comes days after four new ministers were inducted into the provincial cabinet.

Those who took oath included Atif Khan, Fazal Shakoor Khan, Shakeel Ahmed Khan and Faisal Amin Gandapur.

Atif Khan and Shakeel Khan were earlier sacked from the provincial cabinet, while Faisal Amin Gandapur, the brother of federal minister Ali Amin Gandapur, and Fazal Shakoor Khan were included in the cabinet for the first time.

Atif Khan had earlier served as minister for tourism, while Shakeel Khan was minister for revenue.

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