ISLAMABAD:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Sunday urged the federal government to immediately take note of the province’s growing problems, warning that growing public frustration over shortages and governance failures could eventually push people to the streets.
The governor also slammed the PTI-led provincial administration, saying he had advised Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to focus on governance issues instead of Adiala Jail, where former ruling party chief Imran Khan remains jailed amid efforts to free him.
Kundi made these remarks while speaking to the media in Islamabad after meeting KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi at the Governor House in Peshawar earlier in the day.
Speaking to reporters, the governor warned that “the people of KP have reached a point where if they take to the streets tomorrow, no one can be held responsible for it.”
He called on the federal government to urgently address key issues facing the province, particularly the suspension of CNG supplies and restrictions on the movement of wheat.
“If Punjab has problems with supply of wheat to KP, then allow us passage to ensure supply from Sindh,” Kundi said, stating that the provincial authorities had been instructed to transport wheat from Sindh through Balochistan and not through Punjab.
Kundi maintained that he was speaking as a “representative of the Centre” and said he had already involved all stakeholders, including relevant provincial ministers, in the matter.
He urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to “take an interest” in the province’s problems, warning that worsening economic conditions and shortages could fuel public unrest.
“When they are not given roti and there is no one to listen to their problems, they will surely take to the streets,” Kundi warned.
Despite political differences, the governor assured cooperation with the PTI-led provincial government “as long as it concerns peace, harmony and problems of the province.”
However, he also criticized the political priorities of the provincial leaders, saying he had advised CM Afridi to “focus on governance, rather than Adiala”, while pointing out governance failures, security concerns and corruption issues in the province.
“Who will be responsible for governing the province if you are sitting outside Adiala five days a week?” Kundi asked, advising the prime minister to “hand over the Adiala issue to the PTI and act as CM.”
In a lighter but direct comment, Kundi quipped that there should be “two PTIs: one to focus on governance and another for Adiala”.
Earlier in the day, Kundi met CM Afridi at the Governor House in Peshawar. After the meeting, the governor said in a post on X that he had “highlighted key governance gaps affecting the people of KP, including disruptions to essential supplies and public relief systems.”
