DID Press: Pakistan’s federal government has ordered a major administrative reshuffle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the imposition of emergency measures and governor’s rule, appointing Dr Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan as the province’s new chief secretary and removing Shahab Ali Shah from the post.
According to reports published on October 11, 2026, Irfan, a Grade-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, was previously serving as secretary of the Power Division in the federal Ministry of Energy. His appointment takes immediate effect and will remain in place until further orders.
The chief secretary is the province’s most senior civil servant and oversees the work of government departments and the implementation of administrative decisions.
The federal government has also transferred Muhammad Yahya Khanzada, a senior administrator who previously served at the Prime Minister’s Office, to the provincial government for a new assignment.
Meanwhile, Shahab Ali Shah has been directed to report to the federal Establishment Division, along with 15 other senior officers of the Pakistan Administrative Service. The move forms part of broader changes to the provincial bureaucracy following the suspension of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government.
The reshuffle follows Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s approval of emergency measures and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, amid escalating tensions between the federal government and the PTI. Federal officials have cited security concerns and the provincial administration’s handling of militancy as reasons for the intervention, while the PTI has condemned the move.