“We don’t want wheat from the federation, we want our share of water”: KP governor

PESHAWAR:

Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Tuesday said Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is not seeking wheat from the federation but demands its fair share of water, stressing that constitutional rights must be respected. He added that if the province contributes electricity, gas and minerals to the country, it must also receive its fair share according to the Constitution.

Speaking at the convocation of Abaseen University in Peshawar, the governor said efforts had been made to ensure that the federal government listens to provincial concerns and said the federal government has formed a three-member committee on the issue of closure of CNG stations in the province.

Welcoming the move, Kundi thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and said a meeting would be held with him, including representatives of the provincial government. The governor claimed that Ali Pervez, Rana Sanaullah and Rana Tanveer had been included in the committee.

KP has been grappling with a CNG shortage since April as several filling stations remain closed, forcing millions of residents to struggle for access to affordable fuel. The situation has also disrupted economic activity throughout the province.

Governor Kundi added that a meeting with the committee will be held soon, where representatives of the provincial government and the opposition will also participate. He said transportation of wheat is being restricted, while smuggling has forced people to buy expensive wheat in the market. “We don’t want wheat from the federation; we want our share of water,” he said, adding that if the province got its share of water, “then we will supply wheat to Punjab.”

A day earlier, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi criticized the Punjab government, saying it was committing “atrocities” against the KP by restricting wheat supplies. “Article 151 of the Constitution does not allow any ban on inter-provincial movement of food products,” he said, adding that KP residents were forced to buy the most expensive flour in the country.

“Punjab has damaged national unity by stopping flour supply,” Afridi had said, warning that the KP government was being blamed for the federal government’s failed policies.

Also on Monday, Afridi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz, demanding immediate intervention over the federal government’s decision to cut gas supply to the CNG sector in the province. In the letter, he said the CNG sector’s requirement of “approximately 36-40 MMCFD of gas” had been “diverted to the fertilizer sector”, a move he warned had “set the stage for widespread unrest and poses a serious threat to the law and order situation in the province”.

Separately, in a post on He added that KP produces “almost 508 MMCFD of natural gas against a need of around 130 MMCFD”, but people continue to face difficulties.

Referring to the constitutional provisions, he said, “As per Article 158 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the province producing natural gas has the first right and precedence over its use.”

Kundi stressed that “the constitutional rights of the people of KP must be respected.” He also thanked the KP government and all political parties for supporting the issue. “On issues concerning the rights of the KP and the well-being of our people, we must overcome political differences and speak with one voice,” he said.

In December, the Punjab government imposed what the KP provincial government called unconstitutional and illegal restrictions on inter-provincial transportation of wheat and flour.

Pakistan Flour Mills Association (KP) president Muhammad Naeem Butt said in January that restrictions have forced around 80 per cent of flour mills in KP to close, while only 20 per cent are operating by purchasing expensive smuggled wheat from Punjab.

CNG shortage

Serious hardships have gripped students, parents and daily commuters in Peshawar and across KP after the closure of CNG stations due to severe shortage of natural gas. Most van and school bus operators in the province suspended their services because CNG is not available, while public transporters that switched to gasoline drastically increased fares, increasing the financial burden on citizens.

In several areas, unannounced natural gas load shedding has further exacerbated problems for domestic and commercial consumers. The closure of CNG stations in April forced many vehicles to stop operating or to run on more expensive gasoline, causing a new increase in transportation rates. School transporters are among the most affected. Owners of Suzuki vans and buses say running petrol-powered vehicles is beyond their financial capacity, leaving them no choice but to park their fleets.

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 into the streets. 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.

Since taking over as KP premier last October, Afridi has repeatedly accused the federal government of discriminating against the province. On May 6, Afridi announced a province-wide strike, ordering government employees to suspend routine administrative work in protest against what the provincial government calls the Centre’s “discriminatory treatment” in financial and constitutional matters.

Two PTI

During the press conference, Kundi focused his attention on the current KP provincial government. He said there should be two Tehreek-e-Insafs in Pakistan, one designated for Adiala Jail and another to run the government. “If you sit in Adiala four days a week, then it becomes ‘work from Adiala’,” he added. He further said that the provincial government should have implemented the orders of the Peshawar High Court regarding CNG stations.

The governor added that action should have been taken against the administration that closed CNG stations and the prime minister should have ensured accountability.

Kundi on Sunday reiterated these sentiments and advised Afridi to focus on the province’s issues and governance instead of Adiala Jail, saying the province’s affairs should take priority over political protests.

The PTI organizes protests every Tuesday and Thursday against the imprisonment of its founding president and the alleged difficulties he faces in custody. CM Afridi, like other PTI leaders, has continued to actively participate in these protests.