Governor Kundi shows olive branch to KP govt after war of words

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: After a war of words between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for several days, the former on Sunday vowed to extend all possible support to provincial government for resolving issues of people rather than indulging in confrontation.

Addressing a press conference at Kundi Model Farm, he said that after taking oath as governor, he always wanted to work for the betterment of people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including former Fata. “I repeatedly wished to work together with the provincial government for the development and welfare of the province,” he said.

Mr Kundi said that he would never want to make Governor’s House a centre of conspiracies as it would ultimately cause sufferings to people of the province. He said that he himself would meet with provincial presidents of all political parties so that a comprehensive case could be prepared for the development of the province.

“We are democratic people and will never want to impose governor’s rule,” he responded to a question about the possibility of governor’s rule in the province. He said that provincial government was given a mandate by people and it should deliver.

Kundi rules out imposition of governor’s rule in the province

“The provincial government will not be allowed to cover its incompetence by making us shield and becoming political martyrs,” he said. He suggested to the provincial government to include mega projects in Public Sector Development Programmes (PSDP), which was in the preparation stage. He added that he would try to help the provincial government in getting funds from centre.

The governor said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was confronting numerous challenges including law and order, economic issues and shortage of electricity and gas. He said that Dera Ismail Khanwas a food basket.

He added that the entire province would be prosperous if Dera Ismail Khan was prosperous and irrigated.

“The law and order is a burning issue being faced by the province,” he said, adding that provincial government should take concrete steps in that regard.

He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was getting Rs60 billion to Rs80 billion from centre for addressing its law and order issue. “Despite this, the salaries of police are low as compared to other provinces,” he added.

Mr Kundi said that provincial government should inform the people as to where it spent that amount during their last nine-year tenure. He said that the amount should be spent on strengthening security forces and providing facilities to police.

He also demanded judicial inquiry into ‘Kulachi incident’ in which former provincial minister Israr Khan Gandapur was killed. He said that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur should have ordered an inquiry into the matter in which one of his competent ministers was killed. He said that families of victims of the incident should also be taken onboard about the judicial inquiry.

The governor said that chief minister should also explain the accusations levelled against him in the provincial minister’s murder case. He said that the latest incidents including abduction of a judge and targeting of customs officials in the district of the chief minister were also manifestation of law and order situation.

To another query, he said that dialogue could be held with those, who respected Constitution. He also stressed the need for complete implementation of National Action Plan (NAP).

Mr Kundi said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was producing tobacco and its tax should also be given to the province. About Rs100 billion was promised for uplift of merged districts which should be used to provide basic facilities including health, education and others to the people of those areas, he added.

He said that after the 1991 water accord, it was committed to give a canal to each province and work on those projects was in final stages in all the three provinces except Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He pledged that he would make efforts to get funds allocated for the project in the upcoming budget.

The governor said that construction of dams would help in irrigation of barren lands. He urged provincial government to pay attention to those issues instead of indulging in confrontation. He said that during the devastating floods of 2022, only Sindh province was prepared to deal with natural disaster. “Now 2.1 million houses have been constructed for flood victims and women would be given ownership of these houses,” he added.

He said that he held a meeting with Peshawar Electric Supply Company chief and asked him to resolve the issue of loadshedding issue in Dera Ismail Khan. He promised that duration of loadshedding would be minimised in phases up to zero level. The process would be started in urban areas and then in rural localities.

Expressing concerns over gas-related issues being faced by the people of his hometown, he said that he was briefed by the SNGPL officers in Dera Ismail Khan about the problems and he would talk to higher authorities to get them resolved.

He said that Gomal University was suffering from political crises. “This university belongs to us,” he added.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2024