PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Thursday said the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in the province had never passed a resolution in the provincial assembly condemning drone attacks, despite repeatedly raising the issue on the floor of the house.
Addressing a ceremony in Peshawar, Kundi said the provincial assembly had witnessed repeated protests over drone strikes, but the PTI government had taken no practical steps to condemn them through a formal resolution.
He said the attacks had taken place under “extreme compulsion”, while the provincial government had failed to respond to threats emanating from Afghanistan.
“Threats were coming from Afghanistan, but the provincial government did nothing,” he said, adding that the government had also failed to convene meetings of the provincial apex committee.
Kundi further criticised deposed chief minister Sohail Afridi, saying he did not attend the funerals of security personnel and other victims who had been killed in terrorist attacks.
The governor said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had suffered from terrorism for several years, recalling that the state had witnessed one of the world’s largest internal displacements in Swat before terrorism was brought under control.
He said the province needed to become more prosperous, stronger and better developed.
On media affairs, Kundi said the Governor House was not merely a government building but a public institution. He welcomed proposals concerning press freedom, newspaper independence and media rights.
He also pledged to take up the issue of outstanding payments to newspapers with his adviser and work towards resolving it.
Kundi said journalism was undergoing major changes and stressed the importance of supporting a free press.
Kundi said the province’s police force needed Rs40 billion but had received only Rs1 billion, highlighting what he described as a lack of resources to maintain law and order.
He said he had learnt about the funding gap during a meeting with police officials.
He also questioned the state of policing in the former tribal districts, saying nine years after their merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, not a single police line had been established there.
“I cannot even move around safely in my own area after sunset. What kind of situation is this?” he said.
Kundi said the imposition of governor’s rule had been necessitated by the need to restore peace in the province.
He criticised the previous provincial government, saying it had failed to work with the federal government to address the province’s security and financial challenges.
“You would attend federal meetings, say one thing there and then say something else after coming out,” he said, questioning why the provincial government had not joined hands with the Centre to present the province’s case.
He alleged that the former provincial government had not been serious about playing its role in addressing the province’s problems.
Kundi also accused the previous government of failing to respond when Afghans took up arms against the Pakistani state.
He said his administration would play a role that would be remembered in history, adding that journalists’ views were also important in maintaining peace in the province.
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