Kundi sees governance failure in KP

PESHAWAR: Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Saturday criticised the provincial government over “failed governance” and disrupting national progress through continuous protests.

“There are two governments functioning in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. One is led by the chief minister and the other by a “defecto chief minister,” he said while talking to reporters at the Peshawar Press Club.

Alluding to Bushra Bibi, the wife of Imran Khan, he said the two were at odds over whether protesters should march toward Sangjani or D-Chowk in Islamabad.

The governor raised questions about the burning of a container belonging to the chief minister in Islamabad during the PTI protest, suggesting that it could either be an act of negligence or intentional sabotage by those trying to remove a “defective chief minister.” Kundi lamented that these differences were not about developmental issues but rather political maneuvering. He emphasized that the KP needed peace and development, especially in Kurram and Bajaur, and called for a unified focus on restoring peace.

The governor accused the PTI of misusing government resources, claiming that salaries of Tehsil Municipal Administration employees, health officials, and teachers were diverted to fund protests.

He alleged that 1,500 Frontier Reserve Police (FRP) personnel were taken to Islamabad by the PTI government for the protest.

He dismissed claims of a clash between the Centre and KP, stating that the chief minister often complied with federal government decisions during meetings but failed to take practical steps in the province.

Commenting on the possibility of the governor’s rule in KP, Kundi said the Constitution provided for such measures if deemed necessary by the federal government.