PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has asked Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to step down on moral grounds, saying a chief minister who cannot protect his own ministers has no right to stay in office. He accused the provincial government of “ignoring” governance, terrorism and public issues.
The governor spoke at a press conference in Peshawar as the PTI’s protest march moved through the province. He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had failed on every front. Doctors, teachers, nurses and municipal officers were on strike, he said, while terrorism continued to claim lives across the province.
Responding to PTI allegations that its lawmakers and cabinet members were being abducted, Kundi turned the question back on the chief minister. He demanded that Afridi explain who was responsible for the alleged abductions. If the chief minister could not protect his own team, he should resign along with his cabinet, the governor said.
Governor’s rule decision rests with president, PM
Kundi said a decision on governor’s rule or an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be taken by the president and the prime minister. The step would be taken whenever they deemed it appropriate, he said, after assessing conditions in the province.
He promised to send a report based on available information if the federal government asked for one. The statement adds to growing speculation in Islamabad about constitutional options in the province. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called governor’s rule a last option, while Afridi had rejected the idea of governor’s rule as the march began.
March route dispute deepens
The governor also questioned whether the PTI march would reach Swabi. He challenged the participants to cross the district, which borders Attock in Punjab. Kundi criticised the repeated changes to the march route and claimed some senior party leaders were sitting in Islamabad or in hiding.
He had earlier warned the march would not be allowed past Attock. Afridi, leading supporters from Peshawar towards Charsadda on October 9, the sixth day of the protest, said the march would continue beyond Swabi. Participants plan to reach Swabi on October 11. The march began on October 4 to demand the release of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan.
Afridi has dismissed federal warnings about crossing the provincial boundary as empty threats. Federal ministers have warned the PTI against taking the march outside the province. They have linked the dispute to the possible imposition of an emergency or governor’s rule.
Kundi defends security meeting
A separate row concerns Kundi’s earlier security meeting with the chief secretary and the police chief on law and order. Afridi objected to the meeting and has already moved for a law to impeach the governor over what he called an unconstitutional step.
Kundi defended the meeting at the press conference. He said the provincial leadership was occupied with the march while terrorism demanded attention. Counterterrorism was his priority, he said. A detailed account of the press conference notes the governor also rejected PTI’s claims about the route and the alleged abductions.
The exchange marks a fresh escalation in the running feud between the Governor’s House and the Chief Minister’s House. With the march still on the roads and talks deadlocked, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faces a tense weekend.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Kundi ask Afridi to resign?
The governor said the chief minister should quit on moral grounds because he could not protect his own ministers and lawmakers. He accused the provincial government of ignoring governance, terrorism and public issues.
Who decides on governor’s rule in KP?
Kundi said the president and the prime minister would decide. They would act whenever they deemed conditions appropriate, and he would provide a report if asked.
Where is the PTI march now?
The march reached Charsadda on October 9, its sixth day. Afridi says it will continue beyond Swabi, which participants plan to reach on October 11.
