KP governor dismisses reports about removal

MARDAN: Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Monday dismissed reports about his removal as baseless, reiterating that the decision on the governorship rested solely with the Pakistan People’s Party leadership. “I will accept whatever decision the party leadership makes,” he emphasized.

The governor expressed these views while speaking to the media during his visit to the residence of PPP leader Asad Ali Kashmiri in Mardan. He said he had always played the role of a bridge between the federal and provincial governments.

The governor added that funds under the National Finance Commission Award were still pending and vowed to secure the province’s due share. The governor said terrorism and lawlessness had spread across the province, and KP was pushed to destruction during Ali Amin Gandapur’s tenure.

He criticized the former chief minister, accusing him of leaving the province in ruins which now faced both terrorism and corruption. He said he met Chief Minister Sohail Afridi during his oath-taking ceremony and would continue to work with the provincial government for the province’s development.

“Our province has suffered a lot,” he said, expressing hope that the new chief minister would take effective measures for its betterment. “Peace is essential; if there is peace, there will be prosperity, and tourism will flourish,” he added.