PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said that while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faces serious challenges, including insecurity, unemployment, poverty, falling education standards and trade disruptions, the federal and provincial governments remain engaged in a power struggle.
Addressing a ceremony organised by the ANP Nowshera chapter in Adamzai union council on Friday, he said discussions about imposing governor’s rule or an emergency in the province amounted to making a mockery of the people of KP.
He said those calling for governor’s rule or an emergency should first explain their political decisions and policies of the past 13 years.
“The present situation in KP has not emerged overnight. The province has been facing insecurity and crises for decades,” he said, adding that the people of the province should not be subjected to “continuous political experiments”.
Mr Hussain said the provincial government was preparing for a protest march while the federal government was trying to weaken and frustrate the protest movement.
“KP is suffering because of this political confrontation,” he said, claiming that unemployment and poverty were increasing, the education system was in a poor state, businesses were being affected, and the provincial economy was in decline.
The ANP leader also expressed concern over the closure of trade routes with Afghanistan, saying the restrictions had caused difficulties for traders and people on both sides of the border.
Referring to recent statements by the military’s media wing about Afghanistan, he questioned the policy of restricting trade and cross-border interaction with Afghanistan while commercial links with India remained open.
“Centuries-old economic and social ties between the people on both sides of the border are being ignored?” he asked.
Mr Hussain said the people of KP had suffered from insecurity, economic difficulties and political instability for years and questioned why the province continued to face such problems.
He categorically stated that the ANP would not support the imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency through what he described as undemocratic means.
He said the party’s political history was rooted in the struggle for democracy, constitutionalism and the people’s right to govern themselves and that it would not become part of any undemocratic process.
Mr Hussain urged the federal and provincial governments to end their confrontation and focus on peace, public safety, employment, education and trade in the province.
“Political battles can be fought later, but if KP suffers further insecurity and economic destruction, the people will have to bear the consequences,” he said.
Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2026
