KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi. Photo: File
ISLAMABAD:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s political landscape remained unclear on Sunday as rumors of possible governorship rule intensified, prompting denials from both the prime minister’s office and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi.
Sources familiar with the political scenario said the idea of introducing governor’s rule has been under consideration in Islamabad, with the government’s initial preference reportedly to retain Governor Faisal Karim Kundi if consensus is reached within the ruling coalition.
According to these sources, alternative names were provided only as contingency options. They said three political figures – Amir Haider Hoti, Pervez Khattak and Aftab Sherpao – were named if no agreement is reached on Kundi’s continuation.
They added that if political nominees also fail to reach consensus, the government may consider retired military officers including Lt Gen (retd) Khalid Rabbani, Lt Gen (retd) Ghayur Mehmood and Lt Gen (retd) Tariq Khan.
Speculation gained further traction when Minister of State for Law and Attorney General Aqeel Malik told a private news channel that governor’s rule in KP was being “seriously considered”, linking the potential move to “security and governance issues” in the province.
Malik claimed that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and his team had “failed miserably to have any kind of workable situation”, adding: “They also do not want to have any kind of coordination or cohesion with the Center and they are not taking any action in areas where it was needed.”
Asked if the government had finalized its decision, Malik said the president had authority on the advice of the prime minister under Articles 232 and 234 of the constitution. In response to another question, he said a governor’s recommendation could also be an option.
However, officials in the prime minister’s office insisted on Sunday that no decision had been made and no formal proposal was under review, dismissing talk of the governor’s rule as pure speculation.
They noted that the Prime Minister had recently expressed confidence in Governor Kundi during a meeting covering administrative matters and the province’s share in the upcoming National Finance Commission Award.
Despite the many reports, Kundi maintained that he had not been consulted on any such matter. He said he had only heard the allegations through the media and stressed that he had not received any official notification of any change in his position or imposition of Governor’s Rule.
“If the media is going to appoint the governor, God help us,” he remarked while addressing reporters. He added that he would accept whatever decision his party, the Pakistan Peoples Party, ultimately takes.
Kundi reiterated that the constitution contains a provision on the governor’s rule, but stressed that no conversation had taken place with him on the matter. He warned that KP’s fragile security environment left little room for political agitation.
Meanwhile, reports of a possible change continued to circulate, with political sources suggesting that Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s rigid stance towards federal institutions had contributed to internal discussions.
These claims remained unconfirmed and were not acknowledged by the Prime Minister’s Office, which continued to state that no formal review was underway. Political commentators described the moment as an important test of federal-provincial relations.
(With input from our PESHAWAR CORRESPONDENT)
