DERA ISMAIL KHAN/SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Ruling out the possibility of the governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Thursday said his meeting with Chief Minister Muhammad Suhail Afridi was positive and focused on the province’s issues, especially the merged tribal districts and their rights.

“Presently, there’s no possibility of the governor’s rule as the provincial government is functioning smoothly,” Mr Kundi told journalists from Dera Ismail Khan and South Waziristan districts during a meeting at the Governor’s House here.

The governor said in the past, political alliances and strategic reasons led to the CM’s change, but this time around, the ruling party asked its designated chief minister to step out over allegations of corruption and incompetence.

He said the actual reason for former CM Gandapur’s removal would be “disclosed in a few days.”

Says province’s issues, especially those of merged districts, discussed in his meeting with new CM

Mr Kundi said that presently, there was no possibility of Governor’s Rule and that the provincial government is functioning normally.

He criticised the former chief minister’s policies and said that after Ali Amin took the chief executive’s office, the law and order situation in the province worsened, government affairs deteriorated, and even university professors took to the streets over unpaid salaries.

The governor said the province had failed to generate its own resources after the 18th Constitutional Amendment, leaving it dependent on the federation. He added that sports infrastructure had collapsed, while the construction of the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar had been incomplete since 2017.

Mr Kundi said that the population and land area of the province had grown, but a new NFC Award had not yet been issued.

“Our province produces the cheapest electricity in the country along with over 50,000 barrels of oil daily, yet residents lack access to both power and water,” he noted.

The governor said that civil supremacy had not yet been established in the merged tribal districts, so the new chief minister should focus on ensuring it. Referring to the former CM’s intention to reach out to Afghan rulers for peace, Kundi said states talked to states and not provinces, so such matters should be handled through the foreign or interior ministry.

Mr Kundi said the new chief minister should be given time to form his cabinet.

“Our province is facing terrorism and administrative challenges, so a small yet effective cabinet should be formed,” he said.

The governor said the province couldn’t afford more political clashes.

Mr Kundi said that the chief minister should have attended the meeting chaired by the prime minister on the Afghan refugee repatriation issue.

He reaffirmed his commitment to serving as an advocate for the province’s rights before the federation to ensure peace, prosperity and development.

The governor said that a coordinated strategy was needed to deal with natural disasters and floods, such as those in Dera Ismail Khan, Swat and Buner. He said the survey for the proposed Dera Ismail Khan International Airport had been completed, with progress on the project expected by November.

Mr Kundi said the Chashma Lift Canal would be developed in six phases; 25 new Nadra centres were being established in Dera, Tank and Waziristan, and a passport counter would be set up in Panyala soon.

During a meeting with a delegation of the Wana Union of Journalists, Mr Kundi said that the government was committed to accelerating development in the tribal districts, particularly in Waziristan, to uplift the local communities and integrate the region into the national mainstream.

The visitors highlighted the province’s political and administrative challenges, development projects in the merged districts, and cross-border issues related to the Angoor Adda border crossing.

Kundi voiced concern over the current state of governance in the province and said the performance of most government departments was declining, with provincial institutions facing administrative “paralysis.”

“The province is going through difficult times. If mismanagement continues, I fear Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could lag even behind Balochistan in terms of development,” he said.

The governor said the people of merged districts lacked basic facilities despite the government’s promises of equal development and inclusion.

He said that a dedicated additional chief secretary should be appointed to oversee the affairs of tribal districts.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2025