An All Parties Conference (APC) will take place today (Thursday) in Peshawar at the Governor’s House to discuss the peace situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with a special focus on Kurram.
The ruling party in the province, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, has decided to boycott the APC, which was called by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi.
In a statement released a day before the APC, PTI criticized the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), saying, “The PPP has no mandate in KP. They want to hold a meaningless meeting to make themselves look democratic.”
The recent violence in Kurram, caused by an ambush on two police-escorted convoys in November, resulted in the deaths of over 130 people. However, a ceasefire is now in place, bringing some peace back to the district.
Governor Kundi addressed a press conference on Wednesday, confirming that leaders from 16 political parties have agreed to attend the APC. He said that he had personally invited all party leaders and emphasized the political leaders’ concern over the worsening situation in Kurram. He also pointed out that the provincial government had not addressed the issue in either the provincial cabinet or the assembly.
The main purpose of the APC, according to Kundi, is to discuss the current situation in Kurram with political partners and find a long-term solution. He also praised the politicians who joined him in Kohat for a Jirga to address the Kurram issue.
Kundi criticized the provincial government’s lack of action. He said that while people were dying in Kurram, the Chief Minister and his cabinet were focused on protests instead of resolving the crisis.
The Governor, a PPP leader, also remarked that no one from Punjab or Sindh had attended the PTI’s protest on November 24. He questioned the provincial government’s priorities, pointing out that millions of rupees were allocated for martyrs, but no real aid had been given to the people of Kurram. The Red Crescent had provided tents, food, and essential supplies, but the provincial government had not helped the displaced families.
Regarding the APC, Kundi said that a Jirga would be formed to urge the federal government to prioritize peace and development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The APC will also assess the performance of the provincial government. Kundi warned that if the provincial government continues to fail, the federal government might be asked to intervene.
He suggested that the federal government could impose governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to address the ongoing issues. Kundi emphasized that maintaining peace and order is the primary responsibility of the Chief Minister. He criticized the CM for focusing solely on protests rather than addressing the region’s pressing issues.
The Governor also condemned the provincial government’s actions in passing resolutions against national institutions while ignoring the crisis in Kurram. He pointed out that during PTI’s protest in Islamabad, party leaders like Gandapur and Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, had abandoned the protesters and left them to face the government’s crackdown.
Kundi expressed concern that many PTI leaders from Punjab had sought refuge in Peshawar. He also criticized the arrests of Pashtuns in the federal capital, stating that Pashtuns should not be blamed for PTI’s actions. He clarified that the small number of Pashtuns involved in the protest did not mean the entire community supported the party.
