PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has said he will fulfil his constitutional responsibilities if the president and prime minister decide that governor’s rule or an emergency is needed in the province. A statement issued on Sunday confirmed his position.
The assurance came during a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi at Governor House in Peshawar, the statement said.
Talks Collapse a Day Before PTI Long March
The meeting took place a day after negotiations between the government and the opposition broke down. Those talks were meant to prevent the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from going ahead with its October 4 long march on Islamabad.
PTI, which governs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, met a delegation of government and PPP representatives for three rounds of talks. They ended on Sunday morning, when Naqvi announced that the talks had collapsed. He blamed KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi for sabotaging the process.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja offered a different explanation. He said the main reason the overnight talks failed was the federal government’s demand that the provincial government take ownership of all anti-terrorism operations the centre had launched on its own in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Governor’s Rule in KP: What Kundi and Naqvi Agreed
According to the statement, Kundi and Naqvi reviewed the political and security situation in the province. They agreed to play their constitutional roles in protecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from terrorism and destruction.
Both officials also voiced concern over the deteriorating law and order situation and the developments surrounding the PTI long march.
They also raised concerns about the alleged facilitation of terrorists through security checkpoints during the march. The statement added that using an official helicopter and government resources for the march would violate court rulings.
The statement said Governor House would play its full constitutional role if President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif judge that governor’s rule or an emergency is necessary in the province.
Governor and Police Chief Brief the Interior Minister
Sources told Geo News that Kundi briefed Naqvi on the province’s law and order situation and the planned PTI long march. The wider situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was also covered, the sources said.
The provincial police chief also updated the interior minister on security. According to Governor House sources, he said the KP police have been put on high alert because of the uncertain situation.
The inspector general told the meeting that officers deemed unnecessary in several districts have been recalled to police lines. He added that a plan is ready to deploy police personnel quickly in an emergency.
The meeting concluded after the officials went over the province’s security and political situation, including preparations and concerns tied to the proposed long march.
