ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march will not be allowed to proceed beyond Attock, questioning the party’s ability to mobilize the large number of people it has claimed.
Speaking to a private television channel, Kundi said the PTI did not have the strength to bring out the claimed 2 million people. “They cannot go beyond Attock. Let them take one step forward and see,” he said.
The governor also said that the PTI was no longer a political party in the conventional sense, alleging that it was operating through four “franchises.” He accused the provincial government of failing to maintain control over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and criticized its handling of the security situation.
Kundi said the province was facing a serious terrorism challenge, but alleged that the PTI leadership was focusing on marching towards Islamabad instead of addressing militancy.
Referring to his recent meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the governor said security issues, dialogue with the PTI and the proposed long march were frequently discussed.
He also raised concerns about security during the march, asking what mechanism the PTI had in place to prevent any individual from entering Islamabad from the southern areas with malicious intentions.
The governor alleged that the KP government had remained silent over recent incidents of terrorism and said that whenever the federal government sought cooperation against militancy, the provincial authorities called for the withdrawal of the military from the province and negotiations with Afghanistan.
Kundi also accused former Prime Minister Imran Khan of facilitating the settlement of militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the past, saying this was one of the reasons his opponents had referred to him as “Taliban Khan.”
On the possibility of imposing governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kundi said it was always considered a last resort. He compared it to medical surgery, saying it should only be undertaken after other options had been exhausted.
“No one wants governor’s rule. We want matters to continue normally,” he said, adding that if President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif decided to impose governor’s rule, the provincial administration would implement the decision.
Kundi also criticized those who, according to him, refuse to accept the Constitution and law while demanding dialogue with them. He alleged that while Pakistan’s soft image was being projected internationally, some political actors were engaging in activities detrimental to the country.