Kundi rules out imposition of governor’s rule in KP

BATKHELA/TAKHT BHAI: Striking a reconciliatory tone, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Sunday ruled out the imposition of governor’s rule in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, saying the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) believes in democracy.

Addressing separate gatherings in Dargai and Takht Bhai, he again invited the chief minister to visit the Governor’s House, adding that even he was ready to call on the chief executive of the province. He said that he had invited all the political forces to strive on a single platform for the rights of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and was ready to meet the chief minister for the rights of the province. He said the PPP believes in democracy and had no intention to impose the governor’s rule in KP. Those talking about the governor’s rule want to hide behind lame excuses instead of serving the people, he said.

The governor said the chief minister should not talk about taking over Pesco, adding that he had advised the federal government to hand over the affairs of power distribution companies to the provinces. He added that protest was not any solution to the problems.

The governor said it was former prime minister and PPP founding chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who had exempted the Malakand Division from taxes and declared the region a tax-free zone. He said it was against the Constitution to impose taxes in the Malakand Division.

The successive governments of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had deprived its people of their due rights, he added. Kundi said the Malakand Division had been hit hard by natural disasters and acts of terrorism, therefore, its people were unable to pay taxes.

The governor said that he would take up with the prime minister the problems of people of Malakand Division. He said the prime minister recently announced a mega relief package for the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, therefore, the people of Malakand Division should also be extended a similar package.

The governor said that the political forces should put aside their differences and join hands to work for the uplift of underdeveloped areas of the province. He said that being the governor, he would play the role of a bridge between the province and federal government.

He said the doors of the Governor’s House were open and the workers of all the political parties could visit him without any hesitation. The governor said that he would play his role to fill the vacant positions of vice-chancellors in the KP universities.

Traders’ union president Abdur Rahim, former MNA Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, PPP leader Akhunzada Chattan and others also spoke on the occasion.