PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has agreed to play his constitutional role if the president and prime minister deem governor’s rule or an emergency necessary in the province, stated a statement issued on Sunday.
The agreement came during a meeting between Kundi and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi at Governor House, Peshawar, according to the statement.
The meeting came a day after the government-opposition negotiations aimed at averting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) October 4 long march on Islamabad collapsed.
PTI — which rules KP — and a delegation from the government and PPP held three rounds of talks but on Sunday morning, they finally broke down, with Naqvi clarifying that “talks have collapsed” and that the KP CM Sohail Afridi was behind their sabotage.
Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja claimed that the primary reason for the failure of overnight talks was the federal government’s insistence that all anti-terrorism actions it unilaterally initiated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa must be owned by the provincial government.
During today’s meeting, Kundi and Naqvi discussed the political and security situation in the province and agreed to play their constitutional role to protect Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from terrorism and destruction, the statement said.
The governor and interior minister also expressed concern over the worsening law and order situation in the province and the situation surrounding the PTI long march.
The two officials also discussed concerns over the alleged facilitation of terrorists to pass through security checkpoints during the long march.
According to the statement, the governor and interior minister said the use of an official helicopter and government resources during the long march would constitute a violation of court decisions.
The statement said the Governor House would play its full constitutional role if President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif consider governor’s rule or an emergency necessary in the province.
Governor briefs interior minister on security situation
Meanwhile, sources told Geo News that the governor briefed the interior minister on the province’s law and order situation and the PTI long march, while the meeting also covered the overall situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to sources.
The security situation and the PTI’s planned long march were discussed during the meeting, sources said.
The KP police chief also briefed Naqvi on the province’s security situation.
The KP police force has been placed on high alert amid the uncertain situation in the province, the police chief told the meeting, according to Governor House sources.
Police personnel considered unnecessary in various districts have been called back to police lines, the IG briefed the interior minister.
A strategy has also been prepared to immediately mobilise police personnel in case of an emergency, according to the briefing.
The meeting ended after the officials discussed the province’s security and political situation, including preparations and concerns related to the proposed long march.
