ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has said the protest call given by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) at D-Chowk on Oct 15 during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit was a conspiracy.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, the governor said the PTI had consistently been pursuing anti-state agenda in cahoots with enemies of the state. He, however, warned that no such plots, aimed to destabilise the country, would be allowed and asked the PTI to take back its protest call.

Mr Kundi talked about the importance of SCO moot and said it was an opportunity for Pakistan to present its positive image to the world and get socio-economic benefits from it.

The governor said if PTI’s demands were genuine and in accordance with the Constitution, they would be addressed, claiming that establishment of a constitutional court had been announced by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He told journalists that all political parties were united in support of the SCO Summit.

He said Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had always advocated for peace and offered sacrifices for the country, asserting that they have never rallied against Pakistan but instead promoted the slogan ‘Pakistan Khappay’ (Long Live Pakistan).

Expressing concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr Kundi accused PTI of attempting to incite unrest by inviting the Indian minister to address its rally. He said national interests come first and then politics and other things, adding that the best forum for politicians was parliament. “Protest is your right but this is not the occasion for it,” he said.

Governor Kundi praised JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, calling him a political figure who had fought for democracy and suggested that the Maulana’s support would ultimately benefit their cause.

He said terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was badly affecting tourism in the province.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2024