Is KP bureaucracy with Suhail Afridi?

July 6, 2026

Khyber Pakhtunkhwah Chief Minister Suhail Afridi told his cabinet and top bureaucrats in a recent meeting that he wants to run the province strictly in line with the vision of party leader Imran Khan. He told them that there is zero tolerance for corruption either at lower or higher level. He advised the ministers to visit at least seven districts in a month as he will evaluate their performance from the trust public reposes in them. He pressed on the bureaucracy and ministers to have a good communication strategy. Anything the PTI is best at is communication strategy. But it seems that bureaucracy is unmoved by his words. A look at recent recruitments of doctors in different cities is one case in point where widespread corruption allegations have put a big question mark on the entire process.

As for effective communication strategy, this vision is thwarted by the handling of Gomal University case. The vice chancellor and registrar of the university were removed so that a high-powered committee led by commissioner of Dera Ismael Khan can investigate corruption charges. Over the last year, multiple inquiries by the Higher Education Department and even Anti-Corruption Establishment were launched on charges of supply of drugs, use of fire arms, sale and purchase of jobs and many other cases. The ousted vice chancellor failed to furnish satisfactory answers, which led to his removal for a mega inquiry. Ever since a coordinated media campaign has been launched against Chief Minister Suhail Afridi accusing him of removing the vice chancellor to cover up alleged fake degree cases at Gomal University. Only his minister Meena Khan Afridi debunked this propaganda in the provincial assembly.  But secretary higher education, his predecessor, the commissioner and all other bureaucrats linked with the development ever made the slightest of an attempt to present true facts before media to counter the propaganda against the chief minister. It seems that the bureaucracy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwah is not in step with CM Afridi in his crusade against corruption and propaganda.