Rejects the allegation against the Sindh government about traffic jams during the CM’s recent visit to Karachi
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi addresses the media on Friday, December 19, 2025
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Tuesday warned that the law and order situation in the province had deteriorated sharply and criticized the chief minister for traveling to other provinces for political protests while the province remained engulfed in violence.
Addressing a press conference, Kundi urged the provincial government to stop “playing both sides of the wicket” and fully support state institutions in the fight against terrorism. He said police personnel, soldiers and government employees were being targeted daily across the province.
Citing recent incidents, the governor cited the killing of police officials in Tank, a district of KP, an increase in terror attacks in Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu and other districts and stressed that the situation required urgent attention from the provincial leadership. He recalled that seven police officers were martyred when an armored personnel carrier of the police was hit by an improvised explosive device while traveling from Gomal to Tank.
Read: CTD kills six terrorists in targeted operations in KP
Kundi said military-based operations were underway to restore peace, but questioned whether the provincial government matched the seriousness required to address the menace. He called for strengthening the operational capacity of the police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and questioned whether Levies personnel merged into the police force had received adequate training.
Referring to the use of drones to carry explosives in Tank and DI Khan, Kundi said such attacks required technical expertise. “If this terrorism is not carried out from Afghanistan, then who is?” he asked, adding that instead of seeking evidence elsewhere, the chief minister should seek a detailed briefing from the Inspector General of Police and Security.
The governor said that IDPs were arriving from areas like Kurram and needed to be helped properly. He called on political parties and institutions to unite against terrorism, noting that despite reservations, his party had attended the Speaker’s All-Party Conference for Peace.
Read more: PTI holds Karachi rally despite challenges
Directly targeting the chief minister, Kundi criticized him for leaving the province to stage protests in other provinces while KP was “burning”. He also dismissed allegations against the Sindh government about traffic jams during the Chief Minister’s recent visit to Karachi, saying full protocol and security were provided and no political activity was impeded.
Kundi warned that the worsening security situation was discouraging investment despite the discovery of oil, gas and mineral resources in Southern and Merged Districts. “How will the investors come when even the police are not secured?” he asked.
He also urged the federal government to announce mega development projects for KP, saying the province had not received any during the last two years. He urged the Prime Minister to visit the province and support institutions operating under difficult conditions.
Lamenting governance over the past 13 years, the governor said KP was lagging behind other provinces in health, education and infrastructure, noting that an international standard cricket stadium had not been built. He added that players from the province still deserved fair representation in the national cricket team.
On politics, Kundi accused the provincial government of indirectly giving way to the outlawed TTP and warned that Talibanization could not be tolerated. Describing the May 9 riots as the darkest chapter in Pakistan’s political history, he said strict punishment was needed to prevent a repeat, adding that the matter was sub judice and should not be politicized.
He concluded by urging the provincial government to prioritize peace, strengthen institutions, curb corruption and work with the federation to secure borders and stabilize the province.
Safe Cities project
Separately, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi chaired a meeting to review the progress of the Safe Cities project and directed the authorities to speed up the work and ensure completion within set deadlines. According to a briefing, the Peshawar Safe City project will be completed by January 31, 2026, with 711 modern cameras installed at 133 locations.
The project is being extended to divisional headquarters and merged districts including Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat, while PC-I documents have been prepared for Karak, Tank and North Waziristan. Surveys for the merged districts had been completed and the entire province would be brought under the Safe City system in phases.
