PPP’s stance has been parliamentary; Governor Kundi takes a jab at PTI

WEB DESK: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi launched a strong critique against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday, alleging the party is promoting a narrative against the state and its institutions, while also raising the prospect of imposing governor’s rule in the province.

Speaking to media, Governor Kundi asserted that content from PTI’s official accounts targets state institutions. “The narrative being built by PTI is against the state,” he stated. “Enemy countries use PTI’s tweets in their headlines. The state is paramount; if the state exists, only then politics can exist.”

The Governor defended the historical role of his own party, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), saying, “PPP did not seek help from India,” and emphasised that all matters should be resolved through parliamentary channels.

He ruled out negotiations with PTI in its current state, claiming, “PTI representatives do not even have the party’s authority. Negotiations cannot be held with PTI.”

A significant portion of his remarks focused on the constitutional provision for governor’s rule. “The clause for imposing governor’s rule exists in the constitution,” Kundi explained. “It is imposed by the federal government.” He directly linked the possibility to PTI’s rhetoric, warning, “If they give statements against the state and the army, governor’s rule will be imposed.”

However, he outlined a condition to avoid it: “If the provincial government works for establishing peace, then governor’s rule should not be imposed.” He expressed doubts about the provincial government’s capacity, stating, “If the army leaves the province, they cannot manage it even for a week.” He cited security concerns, adding, “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police do not have the resources to counter the enemy,” and concluded that for the province’s improvement and peace, “governor’s rule will have to be imposed.”

On governance, the Governor criticised the PTI-led provincial administration’s performance: “Two budgets have been passed, but no mega project is seen in the province.” He made a stark prediction about the party’s prospects, saying, “PTI’s political future looks dark.”

Touching on national political issues, Governor Kundi referenced the legacy of PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, noting, “It took 40 years to tell us about the judicial murder of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.”

Regarding the potential creation of new provinces and the related constitutional amendment, he said the matter was under discussion. “Some people say new provinces should be made, some are not in favor of it,” he remarked, adding that PPP’s position on a new amendment would become clear in due course.