Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Sunday accused the provincial government of being unwilling to give up power at any cost, claiming that the current administration sees Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur as a “golden goose” and is merely bluffing about dissolving the provincial assembly.
Speaking to a delegation of journalists from Dera Ismail Khan, led by senior journalists Muhammad Irfan Mughal and Saeedullah Marwat, Governor Kundi said that the KP government is desperate to pass its budget, even if it means using indirect means.
He added that despite the Chief Minister’s threats, meeting Imran Khan is not an option for the government, and it will find excuses to ensure the budget gets approved.
He warned that the possibility of an emergency in the province could not be ruled out, and predicted that Gandapur would resort to any tactic necessary to retain power.
During the meeting, which included journalists Muhammad Rehan, Naveed Sultan, M. Salahuddin, Ahmad Mughal, Abdullah Jan, Hammad, Nusrat, Adil Waqar and others, regional issues and public grievances were discussed in detail.
The Governor expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the province and criticized the provincial government’s lack of interest.
He said that the survey for the Dera Ismail Khan International Airport is in progress, and the Lift Canal project has entered the re-tendering phase under Wapda, with phased planning underway.
Addressing the issue of load shedding, Governor Kundi said the power outages in Dera Ismail Khan are unbearable.
He rejected Wapda’s justification regarding low recoveries and pressure from Islamabad, saying that the public should be given control over feeders and that load shedding should be proportionate to recovery rates.
Highlighting the injustice stemming from the 1991 water agreement, he said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has not received its due water share and urged the federal government to grant the province its rightful share.
He also demanded that the provincial government take control of local electricity distribution companies (DISCOs).
The Governor revealed that 14,000 out of 24,000 Wapda posts in the province remain vacant, exacerbating the electricity crisis. He criticized the excessive load shedding and low voltage, calling it a form of cruelty, especially amid the ongoing heatwave in the region.
He announced plans to hold another meeting with Wapda officials in the coming days to resolve the crisis and suggested that power management would improve significantly if the province were given control over electricity.
Governor Kundi also alleged that Wapda staff are complicit in electricity theft and emphasized the need to address the injustices faced by the local population regarding the Yarik Toll Plaza on the Indus Highway.