HYDERABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also spoke to the media after laying a chaddar on Bhitai’s grave along with Sindh Culture Minister Syed Zulfikar Shah. He thanked Mr Shah for inviting him to the shrine for the first time.

Governor Kundi claimed that the KP chief minister [Ali Amin Gandapur] seemed to have lost confidence of the provincial assembly. “He should immediately seek a vote of confidence in the house on his own before he is asked to,” he said.

He observed that KP was facing worst-ever corruption, and claimed that “even rates are fixed for posting and transfers”.

“The CM is not emulating his leader [Imran Khan], rather he wants to stomach everything by himself,” he remarked.

Answering a question, Kundi said that politicians happened to be easy targets and were nabbed easily, but the judiciary and army had their own processes of accountability.

He said that [former ISI chief retired general] Faiz Hameed was not apprehended by any civilian authority, and that an investigation against him was under way.

The governor claimed that Faiz Hameed was responsible for the terrorist activities in his [Kundi’s] province. Referring to Faiz’s much quoted remarks in Afghanistan that “everything would be settled”, Kundi alleged that the general wanted to establish peace by bringing outlaws into the KP; and added that these very outlaws were now killing youths, children, soldiers, police and civil society people.

The KP governor argued whether saying ‘sorry’ after 45 years would ensure return of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and added that tendering an apology after 45 years was not justice.

He also remarked that a criminal was provided Mercedes whereas provision of five-star facilities was ensured in jail through judicial orders. Such facilities had never been provided to any other jail inmates. He said such decisions had never been taken in the country’s history.

Kundi said all political forces would have to sit together to decide as to who should manage this country. “If politicians are to run the country, a decision would have to be taken, but if someone else aims to run the country and hurl abuses at politicians, then it would not work,” he added.

Governor Kundi stressed that parliament and politicians were supposed to run the country.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2024