PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Monday said that KP and Balochistan were facing similar challenges, particularly terrorism, due to their proximity to the Afghan border, stressing the need for intelligence-based operations to ensure lasting peace.
He expressed these views while talking to participants of the 19th National Workshop Balochistan, who visited Governor’s House here under the leadership of Brigadier Bilal Ghafoor.
The delegation, comprising students from Balochistan’s universities, media persons and members of political and social sectors, discussed with the governor various issues, including the overall situation of the province, NFC Award and merged tribal districts.
The governor said that Pakistan’s successful facilitation of US-Iran talks in Islamabad reflected effective diplomacy and that the country not only avoided the impact of potential conflict but also brought both sides to the negotiation table, enhancing its global stature.
Responding to questions, he said the province was facing Indian-backed terrorism along the Afghan border and reiterated that intelligence-based operations were crucial for sustainable peace.
Mr Kundi said that Afghan nationals had been found involved in several terrorism incidents in the province.
Highlighting financial constraints, he said only Rs4 billion had been allocated for 34 public sector universities in the province, which was insufficient to achieve desired educational outcomes.
The governor said that despite being the highest producer of oil and gas, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa still lacked an oil refinery.
Meanwhile, Governor Kundi stressed the need for joint efforts to address climate change, terming it a real and growing threat with visible impacts across the country, particularly in the province.
He was addressing a seminar, titled Climate Change and Inclusion, organised by the DICE Forum at Governor’s House, where he was the chief guest.
The governor said that climate change effects, including irregular weather patterns, rapid glacier melting, floods and droughts, were increasingly affecting the province.
He said that these challenges were not only impacting the environment but also agriculture, water resources, infrastructure and the daily lives of people.
Mr Kundi said such challenges should also be seen as opportunities to promote sustainable development, efficient resource utilisation and better future planning.
He emphasised that dialogue-based platforms like seminars played a vital role in encouraging policy-making and raising awareness on key issues.
The seminar was attended by Chairperson of DICE Forum Aaliya Agha, Chairman of ZLK Group Zahid Latif Khan, Dr Khalid Khan, Dr Sumera Shams, Shagufta Malik, Dr Arjumand Nizami, Engineer Ahmad Jan Khan, Dr Zubair Khan, Dr Rabia Gul, President of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Junaid Altaf, Senior Vice President of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Khalid Farooq, along with representatives of civil society, lawyers, students and women.
A panel discussion was also held where experts shared their insights and recommendations to cope with the challenges posed by climate change. The importance of tree plantation was particularly highlighted during the seminar.
The governor appreciated the efforts of DICE Forum and its partners for organizing the event, saying that such initiatives were essential for promoting constructive discourse on critical issues.
The governor distributed shields among participants and certificates among volunteers, while the organisers presented a commemorative shield to him.
Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2026
