PESHAWAR: Treasury members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday warned that if Timergara Medical College was not made functional soon, they would protest against their own government.

During a sitting chaired by Taj Mohammad, treasury MPA Obaidur Rehman said that the Timergara Medical College`s building was put up in 2021, equipment had been installed, and staff members were hired three years ago who had been receiving millions of rupees in salaries since then, yet the college was nonfunctional.

He added that the issue should not be referred to the relevant house committee as the act would raise questions.

MPA Shafiullah Khan said that the delay in operationalising the college was being discussed on social media, with the government attracting criticism.

He requested the chair to constitute ahigh-level committee to look into the matter.

`People won`t let us enter Dir district [over the medical college issue]. They are rightly pointing fingers at us,` he said, threatening street protests against their own government.

Adviser to the chief minister on prisons Humayun Khan wondered why Timergara Medical College couldn`t be made functional though employees had been hired, receiving salaries for the last two years.

He said machinery had been purchased, with some sent to the district headquarters teaching hospital.

The aide to the CM said it was not meant solely for Dir district but for the entire province.

He noted that a committee had raised questions about around 100 items and recommended formation of a technical committee to check their quality.

The chair said it was strange that the equipment had been purchased and installed without quality checking.

The adviser said that if the matter were referred to the relevant house committee, the issue would be further delayed.

Special assistant to the chief minister on housing Dr Amjad said many believed thematter should not be sent to the standing committee, as such a step would raise further questions and suggest that something was wrong.

He requested the chair to send the matter to the house`s standing committee and order its meeting within a week.

The issue was later referred to the committee with instructions for early meeting.

Also, treasury member Abdul Ghani said that he had requested details of the saplings purchased in Khyber tribal district, the payments made to nursery owners as well as another issue, but the reply from the forestry department was unsatisfactory.

He insisted that he had evidence that the department had failed to pay nurseries after purchasing saplings.

The lawmaker said owners of several nurseries in the district from which the government purchased saplings for plantation had complained to him about non-payments.

Law minister Aftab Alam Afridi said Mr Ghani should submit details of the matter to ensure due payments to nursery owners.

Mr Ghani rejected the offer and said the question should be referred to the relevant house committee for discussion and recommendations The chair later sent the question to thatcommittee.

MPA Johar Mohammad said people living around the Lakki Cement Factory had been complaining about dust and rising incidence of asthma, tuberculosis and other diseasesin the area.

He said the factory earned Rs54 billion, Rs59 billion and Rs74 billion in 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively after tax deductions and that according to Corporate Social Responsibility guidelines, two per cent of the income should be spent on the welfare of the area.

Minister for industry Abdul Karim Khan replied that there was no structure for implementing the CSR law at either the provincial or federal levels.

He said the department held a meeting on Nov 28, 2024, and would be briefed on the law next week.

The minister said that two per cent of the profit was supposed to be allocated for CSR.

He said he had already directed officials from the environment department to visit the site and share details with the department and the chair.

He said the department came up with a shocking revelation that there was no structure for the CSR law.

The minister said the factory earnedRs187 billion in three years but there was no development in Lakki Marwat district.

The question was later sent to the relevant committee.

Also, the house unanimously passed a resolution demanding protection of the rights of the people of India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir as well as steps for long-term peace in the region.

The resolution, tabled by MPA Ikramullah, said the provincial assembly stood by the residents of India-occupied Kashmir and strongly condemned the violation of their rights.

`This house demands that the federal government and India prioritise the protection of the citizens of India-occupied Kashmir and take joint steps for long-term peace in the held Kashmir,` the resolution read. The assembly passed the KP Shariah Nizam-i-Adl Regulations Amendment Bill, 2025.

MPA Akbar Ayub Khan tabled the PakAustria Fachhochschule Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology Haripur Bill, 2025, and the Institute of Management Sciences Amendment Bill, 2025.

The chair later adjourned the sitting until 2pm today (Tuesday) due to a lack of quorum.