Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said on Monday that fighting terrorism will be the leading objective of the provincial administration under the emergency and governor’s rule now in place. Speaking at a news conference in Peshawar after the first session of the provincial Apex Committee under the new setup, he vowed to strengthen the police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).
Kundi also pledged better public services and work on long-standing provincial issues in step with Islamabad. He said the federal government had placed its confidence in the administration and that there would be no compromise on supplying modern weapons and equipment to law enforcement agencies.
Emergency rule imposed on Sunday under constitutional articles
The federal government imposed emergency and governor’s rule in the province on Sunday, October 11, invoking Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution. The step followed a decision by the federal cabinet and received approval from President Asif Ali Zardari.
Authorities pointed to a deteriorating security situation and accused the PTI-led provincial government of failing to offer adequate support to counterterrorism efforts. PTI has rejected the move, while the Centre has argued that it is needed to restore constitutional governance and improve security. Under the arrangement, the province is run by Governor Kundi with the help of an 11-member advisory council. The federal government has also authorised army deployment in aid of civil power under Article 245.
Police equipment, welfare pledges and support for martyrs’ families
Kundi said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had handed over 10 armoured personnel carriers to the police, and that further assistance would follow to raise the operational capacity of the police and CTD. He stressed that officers had been on the front line against terrorism and had made sacrifices to protect the public, promising steps to improve their welfare and working conditions.
He added that the administration would stand by the families of personnel killed on duty. Kundi listed several commitments in this area:
- Free education for the children of martyred personnel
- A higher compensation amount under the existing martyrs’ package
- A review of police salaries and welfare arrangements
Apex Committee urges coordinated action and intelligence-led operations
The provincial Apex Committee, co-chaired by Kundi and Naqvi, called for coordinated action against terrorism, stronger police capacity and operations based on intelligence. It also highlighted the need to address public grievances and expand access to basic services in underdeveloped and terrorism-affected areas.
On security gaps, Kundi said around 17,000 posts in the provincial police force were vacant and that several police stations and checkpoints had not yet been established. He said Pakistan’s security would remain the foremost consideration and alleged that Afghan territory was being used against Pakistan. The administration would also pursue the return of undocumented Afghan nationals.
Turning to people facing criminal cases, Kundi warned that anyone accused of breaking the law would face legal proceedings, and that there would be no negotiations with those unwilling to respect Pakistan’s Constitution and laws. He said Naqvi had indicated that people against whom no cases had been registered would be released. Kundi also said Naqvi had told him that former chief minister Sohail Afridi was in protective custody.
Governor links peace to economic recovery and federal ties
Kundi argued that restoring peace was essential for economic recovery, and that better security would draw businesses and investors to the province. He pledged a focus on development, healthcare, education, access to justice and infrastructure, along with measures to empower women and young people. He said the province held substantial natural and economic resources that sustained peace would help it use.
He said the administration would put the province’s financial needs, resource requirements and development priorities before the federal government, backed by supporting arguments. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was expected to visit the province, Kundi said, and the problems would be raised with him. Kundi added that the administration intended to show practical progress within three months, and that doctors would be asked to end their strike through negotiations.
Kundi criticised the province’s governance over the past 13 years, a period in which PTI and its predecessors held power for much of the time. He claimed residents had rejected the PTI provincial government and its confrontation with the Centre, and he described the 10-day political mobilisation as a “circus” that had now ended. He said he had expected protesters to surround Governor House, but that the container used for the long march had been left unattended, joking that he was waiting for someone to collect it.
