PESHAWAR – A storm is brewing within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) as staff members rally against the unchecked interference of a private Personal Assistant to the Advisor, Mr. Tashfeen.
The situation has escalated to the point where employees are now demanding his immediate removal, warning of a complete work stoppage if no action is taken. According to a formal complaint submitted to the Director General of KPCTA, the PA has been accused of overstepping his authority, meddling in administrative affairs, and even attempting to influence high-level execution matters.
Despite his status as a contingent employee, he has allegedly disregarded institutional protocols and has displayed outright disrespect toward staff members, including senior officials such as the Director General and the Director of the Authority – both of whom hold esteemed positions as commission officers.
What has truly set alarm bells ringing, however, are reports that he has begun threatening employees to serve his personal interests. According to sources within the authority, the PA has openly declared that he has the power to orchestrate staff transfers or create difficulties for those who refuse to comply with his demands—allegedly leveraging his close ties with the Advisor to the Chief Minister on Tourism and Culture. In a shocking turn of events, the PA reportedly obstructed a critical regulatory process, declaring before an official meeting that he would personally halt proceedings unless he secured a favorable adjustment in BPS-17.
This blatant attempt at self-promotion, coupled with his interference in board-approved regulations, has left employees outraged, as it directly undermines due process and the integrity of the authority. The workplace environment has grown increasingly hostile and stressful, making it difficult for staff members to perform their duties effectively. As frustration mounts, employees have now taken a firm stand, issuing a demand for the immediate expulsion of the PA and calling for his entry into the facility to be restricted unless he is accompanied by the Advisor himself. In an unprecedented move, KPCTA staff have warned that if corrective measures are not taken immediately, they will be left with no option but to halt work and stage a strike until justice is served.
The complaint has also been forwarded to key figures in the provincial government, including the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Chief Secretary, and other relevant authorities. The ball is now in the government’s court to take swift action before the situation spirals further out of control.
Will the administration intervene before KPCTA grinds to a halt? Or will bureaucratic inaction allow unchecked power to flourish? The coming days will be crucial in determining the fate of the embattled tourism authority.
