PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has reportedly ordered the dismissal of an electrician at Nishtar Hall after the venue’s air conditioning system malfunctioned during a Workers’ Convention, leaving the chief minister visibly sweating in front of an audience of party workers and government officials.
According to media reports, the incident occurred on Sunday when the cooling system at Nishtar Hall, one of Peshawar’s principal public venues for large gatherings, failed midway through the event. Photographs and videos of the chief minister perspiring on stage circulated widely on social media following the convention, prompting what reports described as swift administrative action against staff associated with the facility.
Notification Issued, Three Officials Affected
Reports said a formal notification was issued dismissing the electrician responsible for the hall’s electrical and cooling equipment. Two additional personnel actions were taken in connection with the same incident: the Director of Culture was reportedly transferred out of the post, while the caretaker of Nishtar Hall was suspended pending further action.
The Culture Department oversees Nishtar Hall, which routinely hosts political conventions, cultural functions and government ceremonies in the provincial capital. Neither the specific grounds cited in the dismissal notification nor the officials named in the transfer and suspension orders have been made public.
As of the time of filing, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had not issued an official statement confirming or elaborating on the reported dismissal, transfer and suspension. The chief minister’s office and the Culture Department did not put out a press release addressing the matter, and provincial authorities are expected to respond to the reports in the coming days.
Background
Sohail Afridi of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was sworn in as Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 15, 2025, succeeding the previous PTI administration in the province. His government holds a comfortable majority in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. Since taking office, Afridi has positioned himself as a vocal critic of federal policy on security operations in the province and has pressed for the release of funds owed to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under war-on-terror compensation arrangements.
Sunday’s Workers’ Convention was among a series of public outreach events the chief minister has addressed since assuming office, as his government seeks to consolidate its political base ahead of continued engagement with party workers across the province. The event at Nishtar Hall drew a large gathering, according to reports, at a time when Peshawar continues to experience high summer temperatures typical of early August.
What Happens Next
Provincial authorities have not indicated whether a formal inquiry will be constituted into the equipment failure or the subsequent personnel actions. Confirmation of the dismissal notification, along with details of the transfer and suspension orders, is expected once the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government or the Culture Department issues an official response. Until such confirmation is issued, the reported actions remain based on media accounts rather than a verified government notification.
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