ISLAMABAD – Challenging the writ of th state in an alarming incident, the Elementary and Secondary Education Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been thrown into turmoil after Special Assistant for Relief, Rehabilitation & Settlement, Naik Muhammad, allegedly stormed the Civil Secretariat in Peshawar with armed companions, creating chaos and intimidation at gunpoint.
According to an official office order issued on September 14, the shocking events unfolded on September 12 around 4:30 pm, when the Special Assistant, accompanied by both official and private armed individuals, forcibly entered the Education Department and occupied the Secretary’s office for nearly half an hour. The document reveals that the armed intrusion not only disrupted the official environment but also “compromised the sanctity and security” of a government office, spreading fear among employees.
In a related development, Secretary Elementary & Secondary Education Muhammad Khalid reported that he received a threatening phone call from the Special Assistant, in which abusive language, intimidation, and death threats were hurled at him. The Special Assistant allegedly demanded the immediate cancellation of a transfer order, warning of “dire consequences” if his demand was not met.
The Secretary condemned the incident as “an attempt to obtain an official order at gunpoint” by a provincial cabinet member – calling it “highly objectionable, dangerous, and disdainfully insulting” to the dignity of the Civil Secretariat. He further noted that the actions of the Special Assistant constituted criminal intimidation and were prosecutable under Sections 186 and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860.
An FIR has already been requested against the perpetrators, with demands for stronger security measures to protect civil servants. Despite three days having passed since the storming, the office order notes that the Special Assistant has shown no remorse or regret.
In response to volatile security situation, the Secretary has authorized all officers of the Elementary & Secondary Education Department to work from home starting September 15 until further notice. Additionally, he has declared the entire premises of the department, including provincial and district offices, autonomous bodies, and all schools (public and private), as strictly out-of-bounds for armed individuals – whether private or accompanying public representatives.
The matter has been escalated to top provincial leadership. Copies of the office order have been forwarded to the Governor, Chief Minister, Additional Chief Secretary for Home, and other key officials. The Administration Department has also been directed to devise Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to completely ban the display and entry of arms within the Provincial Secretariat. The incident raises serious concerns about the use of political influence backed by armed force within government institutions, an issue that could spark a wider debate on law, order, and the rule of law in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
For now, the Civil Secretariat remains under tight watch, with government employees expressing fear over their safety, and the credibility of the provincial cabinet facing fresh scrutiny.
