PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has said federal government support is essential for peace and development in the province.
Addressing a ceremony, Kundi said the province had faced terrorism and unrest for a long time. He said the largest operation in Swat’s history was carried out during a Pakistan Peoples Party government, clearing the area of terrorists.
The governor said people had made great sacrifices in the fight against terrorism. He added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was rich in natural beauty and mineral resources, and that the province needed to become developed and strong.
Kundi said he had always maintained that the fight against terrorism was a shared responsibility. He claimed the province had enjoyed peace for a considerable period under a PPP government, while terrorism increased during the previous government.
He accused the former leadership of failing to attend even Apex Committee meetings and said hostile elements were using Afghan territory to carry out terrorism in Pakistan. Kundi said he had repeatedly urged PTI to work with others to present the province’s case to the federal government.
He said the province had been slipping into the hands of terrorists and that the federal government had been forced to impose an emergency. Kundi said establishing law and order remained the provincial government’s priority, adding that peace and development were not possible without federal support.
