assembly rejects move
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K-P assembly rejects move to absorb Haripur, Abbot…

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has unanimously rejected any reported move to separate Haripur and Abbottabad from the province and place them under the administrative control of Islamabad, warning that any such attempt would undermine provincial autonomy and constitutional rights.

The resolution was adopted during Friday’s session after Provincial Minister Akbar Ayub presented a strongly worded motion opposing any proposal by the federal government to alter the status of K-P districts, particularly Haripur and Abbottabad.

The House declared that all districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are an integral part of the province and cannot be separated under any circumstances. It maintained that changing provincial boundaries for administrative, political or economic purposes, or to gain control over natural resources, would violate the constitutional rights of the province and its people.

The resolution specifically highlighted K-P’s water resources, hydropower facilities, mineral wealth, forests and other natural assets, stating that these resources belong constitutionally to the province and its people. Any attempt, directly or indirectly, to take control of these resources was described as unacceptable.

The provincial legislature called on the federal government to immediately drop any proposal concerning the separation of the districts and respect the existing constitutional, geographical and administrative status of K-P.

The House also urged political parties, lawmakers, constitutional bodies, lawyers, civil society, young people and the media to maintain a united position in protecting the province’s territorial integrity, autonomy and public interests.

During the same session, PPP lawmaker Mehr Sultana raised concerns over the lack of effective rules requiring doctors to prescribe medicines using generic names rather than specific brands. She also called for computerized prescriptions to become mandatory, pointing out that unclear handwritten prescriptions can create difficulties for patients and increase the risk of errors.

She urged the provincial government to introduce legislation or regulations addressing both issues, with the aim of improving prescription practices and protecting patients.

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