Federal Government Orders Immediate Establishment of Area Development Secretariats in 12 Designated Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Islamabad (Qudrat Daily): The federal government has ordered the immediate establishment of Area Development Secretariats (ADS) in 12 designated districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to establish peace and order, protect citizens, improve governance, and promote development activities. Under the federal ordinance, the secretariat will work under the supervision of the Area Representative and Development Council (ARDC), while it will be headed by the Additional Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Designated Districts), who will also serve as the Administrator of these districts.
The ordinance includes Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan, South Waziristan Upper, and South Waziristan Lower among the designated districts.
According to the federal government’s directives, the Area Representative and Development Council will comprise distinguished personalities from the designated districts, headed by a Chairman. The appointment of the Council’s Chairman, Vice Chairman, spokesperson, and members will be carried out according to the prescribed procedure and tenure.
Administrative Powers
Under the ordinance, the Area Development Secretariat has been entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing administrative, operational, and development affairs in the designated districts. Officers of the provincial government and officials of other relevant departments deployed in these districts will be under the administrative and operational control of the Secretariat. Furthermore, orders regarding postings and transfers of officers in the designated districts may be issued by the Prime Minister from time to time on the recommendation of the Administrator.
According to the federal ordinance, the Administrator will exercise the provincial government’s administrative and law enforcement powers in the designated districts. He will have the authority to establish necessary organizational structures for governance, security, and development, supervise district administration, law enforcement agencies, and relevant departments, and issue directives to civil administration, police, and military officials.
The Administrator will be able to issue orders regarding the operational, organizational, and administrative affairs of the Area Development Secretariat, as well as give directives regarding the distribution and transfer of funds. Measures will also be taken to make the security and law enforcement system effective through coordination among federal institutions, armed forces, and provincial institutions. The ordinance also provides room for the reorganization of relevant departments and necessary administrative measures to improve public protection, economic stability, relief activities, and the provision of basic facilities.
According to the federal government’s order, the orders, notifications, directives, and actions issued by the Administrator will have the same legal status as orders issued by the provincial government. The ordinance further states that the aforementioned provisions related to Chapter 3, Part IV, and Article 175(3) of the Constitution, as well as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Rules of Business 1985, will not apply in the designated districts. The ordinance issued by the federal government will come into force immediately.
